
fi|m iJ A £ £ 5 

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NARRATIVE 

OF A 

VISIT TO ENGLAND. 



BY JOHN CODMAN, D. D. 

One of the Deputation from the General Association of Massachusetts to the 
Congregational Union of England and Wales. 



An interchange of hearts, and even of looks, with those who have joint communion 
in the objects and blessings of the gospel, is worth moj£ than all the glittering; things the 



whole earth can offer. — John Newton. 




BOSTON: 

PUBLISHED BY PERKINS & MARVIN 
PHILADELPHIA : HENRY PERKINS. 



1836. 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1836, 

By Perkins & Marvin, 

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts. 



2£?-f 



^ 



CONTENTS 



Page. 

CHAPTER I. 

Departure from New York — Arrival at Havre — 
Journey from Paris to Naples, 15 

CHAPTER II. 
Naples — Rome — Florence, . . 24 

CHAPTER III. 

Venice — Milan — Geneva, 36 

CHAPTER IV. 
Paris, 59 



IV CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER V. 
London, 73 

CHAPTER VI. 
London, 148 

CHAPTER VII. 

Excursion into the Country, 170 

CHAPTER VIII. 

York — Durham — Edinburgh — Highlands — Glas- 
gow — Liverpool, 217 

CHAPTER IX. 

Excursion to Wales — Return to Liverpool — De- 
parture from Liverpool — Arrival at New York, 241 



PREFACE. 



To those individuals who may honor 
the following pages with a perusal, it may 
be proper to state the circumstances that 
have given rise to this publication. 

The fraternal intercourse that has re- 
cently been established between the Inde- 
pendent Churches in Britain, and the 
Congregational and Presbyterian Churches 
in the United States, has been the subject 
of sincere and cordial congratulation. 
The satisfaction with which the Deputa- 
tion from the land of our Fathers was 
received by the American Churches, is 
evident, from the readiness with which 
they reciprocated their proposals of union, 
by an immediate appointment of Deputa- 
2 



10 PREFACE. 

tions to represent them at the British 
Anniversaries. 

The author of the following Narrative 
will ever esteem it among the high and 
valued privileges of his life, that he was 
selected by his brethren to take part in 
this embassy of love. 

It was not until the commencement of 
his homeward passage, when, for the first 
time during several months, he had a 
leisure moment, that the thought occurred 
to him, that perhaps the people of his 
charge, and the different Religious and 
Benevolent Societies which he had the 
honor to represent, might expect from 
him, on his return, a brief account of his 
tour, and of his attention to the objects 
of his mission. He accordingly occupied 
himself during a moderate and very pleas- 
ant passage of thirty-five days, in drawing 
up the following Narrative, which, imme- 
diately after his return, he communicated 
to his ow 7 n people ; and those parts of 
which, that relate to the objects of his 



PREFACE. 11 

mission, he now takes this more public 
method to offer as a Report to the Ecclesi- 
astical Body, and the different Religious 
Societies, which he represented at the 
Anniversaries in London, in May, 1835. 

It will be perceived by the reader, that 
the author availed himself of the opportu- 
nity afforded by his appointment, to pass 
the winter immediately preceding these 
Anniversaries, in France and Italy. The 
first part of the Narrative, relating to his 
continental tour, as well as the concluding 
part, containing an account of his visit to 
Scotland and Wales, has been drawn up 
with much greater brevity and succinct- 
ness, than that which relates to the special 
objects of his mission. He might, indeed, 
have enlarged upon what he witnessed 
in those interesting countries, and filled a 
volume with topographical descriptions and 
statistical accounts. This has been abun- 
dantly done by other travellers ; and the 
reader who is desirous of more particular 



12 PREFACE. 

and detailed information, can be at no loss 
to obtain it from other sources. 

The author's principal object is, to give 
an account of the Religious Anniversaries 
held in London, in the month of May, 
and to make his American brethren and 
friends acquainted with those excellent 
men, on the other side of the water, of 
the same faith and order with the Puritans 
of New England, who are engaged with 
us in promoting the various objects of 
Christian benevolence, which characterize 
the day in which we live. He trusts he 
shall be pardoned the free use of names of 
individuals, as it gives him an opportunity 
of expressing his deep sense of obligation 
for the constant kindness and hospitality 
he everywhere received, in his official 
character, as a representative of the Ameri- 
can Churches. 

The reader will find interspersed in the 
Narrative, some allusions to scenes and 
events associated with the author's first 
visit to England and Scotland in early life. 



PREFACE. 13 

These, it is hoped, will be regarded with 
indulgence, by those to whom he is not 
personally known, while they may not be 
altogether unacceptable to the parties more 
immediately concerned. 



NARRATIVE. 



CHAPTER I. 

DEPARTURE FROM NEW YORK — ARRIVAL AT HAVRE — 
JOURNEY FROM PARIS TO NAPLES. 

I would commence this Narrative with devout 
acknowledgments to Almighty God, for the 
great and distinguishing goodness and mercy, 
which have followed me and my heloved family, 
from the time of my departure from my native 
land, to the present hour. No serious casualty 
has befallen us during that period, although we 
have been exposed to dangers, both by sea and 
land. 

At the meeting of the General Association of 
Massachusetts, in June, 1834, I received an ap- 
pointment, as a Delegate to represent that body 
at the annual meeting of the Congregational 
Union of England and Wales in London, in May, 



16 ARRIVAL AT HAVRE. 

1835. Having taken the subject into deliberate, 
and, I hope, prayerful consideration, I submitted 
it to my church and congregation, and they, with 
great kindness, consented to my separation from 
them for a season, and chose a committee to 
supply the pulpit during my absence. I took 
an affectionate leave of them, on the first Sabbath 
in October, 1834, and exhorted them to be " of 
one mind, and live in peace," with earnest prayers 
that " the God of love and peace would be with 
them." 

On the sixteenth of October, I embarked at 
New York, for Havre, in the ship Sylvie de 
Grasse, Capt. Weiderholdt, accompanied by my 
wife and two daughters. The passengers on 
board were respectable and agreeable ; and after 
a very pleasant passage of twenty-two days, we 
arrived in safety at Havre, on the eighth of 
November. The day after our arrival was the 
Sabbath, and we had the satisfaction of uniting 
our praises and thanksgivings with a few Christian 
friends, both English and American, in a little 
seaman's chapel, and heard a good discourse from 
their preacher, the Rev. Mr. Ely, brother of the 
Rev. Dr. Ely, of Philadelphia. 

After spending a few days in Havre, we pro- 
ceeded to Paris, through Rouen and St. Ger- 



PARIS. 17 

main. In that fashionable, and in many respects 
interesting metropolis, we spent but a short time, 
as we intended to remain longer on our return 
from Italy. We staid long enough, however, to 
make the acquaintance of several Christian friends, 
and to hear faithful, evangelical preaching, both in 
French and English. I attended, also, a monthly 
meeting of the French and Foreign Bible Society, 
where I was very favorably received, as one of 
the Trustees of the Massachusetts Bible Society, 
from whom they gratefully acknowledged pecu- 
niary assistance in the distribution of the Scrip- 
tures. 

After spending ten days in Paris, we procured 
a convenient carriage and set out on our journey 
with post-horses to Italy, through the south of 
France. We engaged the service of a very 
honest and faithful man, who acted in the double 
capacity of servant and interpreter.* 

A ride of two or three days, during which 
nothing occurred of peculiar interest, brought us 
to Lyons, the second city in importance in 
France, and distinguished for its manufacturing 



* Frangois Dunand : I mention his name, as he may be of 
service to future travellers. Inquiry may be made for him at 
Messrs. Welles, bankers, Paris. 



18 MARSEILLES. 

relations to our own country. We had letters of 
introduction to the Rev. Adolphus Monod, an 
evangelical Protestant clergyman, who, on account 
of his attachment to the distinguishing doctrines of 
the gospel, had been excluded from one of the 
churches in that city, and was now preaching to 
a small congregation of pious and devoted friends 
of truth. We heard him with much pleasure, and 
spent the evening at his dwelling after the public 
service, in delightful and profitable conversation, 
and in social exercises of devotion. 

On Monday morning, December 1st, we pur- 
sued our journey to Marseilles, stopping at Avignon, 
and visiting the celebrated fountain of Vaucluse, 
in that immediate neighborhood. From Avignon 
we made an excursion to Nismes and Montpelier, 
and visited the spot, where the celebrated author 
of the Night Thoughts, in the dark hour of mid- 
night, prepared a grave, with his own hands, for 
his daughter, for whom Christian burial had been 
denied by Romish bigotry. It is situated in the 
corner of a beautiful garden, and a neat tablet of 
stone, recently erected by one of the numerous 
admirers of Dr. Young, informs the stranger of 
the place of interment. 

We spent a few days in Marseilles, where we 
experienced much kindness and hospitality from 



MARSEILLES. 19 

several friends, to whom we brought letters of in- 
troduction. In this important French port, there 
is but one Protestant church, and that is supplied 
by three pastors, and has but one service on the 
Sabbath, and a catechetical lecture during the 
week. The doctrinal sentiments of the pastors, 
like those of many of the Protestant clergy in 
France and Switzerland, are Arian. 

A seaman's chapel is much needed in Marseilles. 
I had expected to have met here with my coun- 
tryman the Rev. Mr. Rockwell, who had been 
designated by the American Seaman's Friend 
Society, to occupy this station, and who had em- 
barked, about the time I left the United States, in 
one of our national frigates for the Mediter- 
ranean.* 

It is much to be desired, that this important 
field of usefulness should be occupied. There are, 
always, a number of seamen in this port, who un- 
derstand the English language, and could an ami- 
able, discreet and pious minister be introduced 
here, as seaman's preacher, he might extend his 
influence beyond the circle of his immediate 
charge, and be made useful to those English and 

* I have since learnt that Mr. R. has accepted the office of 
Chaplain on board the Potomac, and continues in the service. 



20 GENOA. 

American families, who resort here for business, 
health or pleasure. 

We left Marseilles on the 1 5th, for Toulon, Nice 
and Genoa, over a most delightful country and on 
the banks of the Mediterranean sea. This part 
of our journey was rendered very interesting by 
the romantic and unrivalled scenery through which 
we passed. 

We were now entering upon the territories of 
the Church at Rome, and had an opportunity of 
witnessing the paralyzing effects of that ancient, 
and once formidable, superstition. On this sub- 
ject, I shall have occasion to enlarge in another 
place. I will only say here, that while I lost no 
opportunity of attending a Protestant place of wor- 
ship, I occasionally went into the Catholic churches, 
and in Genoa I heard one of the most eloquent 
preachers, to whom I ever listened. He was a 
Capuchin Monk, dressed in his monastic habit, 
with his cowl, and rope for a girdle, and long 
flowing beard. His gesticulation was peculiarly 
graceful, and the effect of his oratory upon a 
large and very attentive congregation, was most 
solemn and impressive. On the same day I heard 
a French Protestant deliver a written sermon to 
a handful of people in a peculiarly cold and heart- 
less manner, which formed a striking contrast to 



LEGHORN. 21 

the fascinating eloquence of the Italian Monk. I 
could not but regret that the doctrines of the Re- 
formation were not preached in this Catholic 
community with more fidelity and with greater 
power. 

At Genoa we embarked in a steam-boat for 
Naples. The first day brought us to Leghorn, 
an important port in the Mediterranean. The 
boat remained there but one day, during which 
we took the opportunity of visiting Pisa, cele- 
brated for its Leaning Tower, its Cathedral, and 
Campo Sancto, or holy burying-ground, the earth, 
of which it is composed, having been literally 
brought from Jerusalem. Returning from this 
excursion, we re-embarked in the steam-packet 
in the evening. On reaching Civita Vecchia, the 
port on the Mediterranean nearest the city of 
Rome, we were persuaded to disembark our car- 
riage with most of our luggage, as we were told it 
would be subject to a heavy duty on its arrival 
at Naples. I mention this circumstance to show 
the kind providence of God, which remarkably 
watched over us in all our ways. 

Just before reaching Naples, we passed by the 
ancient Puteoli^ the place mentioned in the Acts 
of the Apostles, where Paul landed on his way 
from Jerusalem to Rome. This place was pointed 



22 NAPLES. 

out to us by a fellow passenger, a Swiss, who 
could not speak English, by showing us the chapter 
and verse, in a French Testament which he held 
in his hand, that contained the account of the 
apostle's landing. 

We arrived at Naples on Christmas day, in 
the afternoon. As it was a public day, much 
observed by the Neapolitans, we were unable to 
pass our luggage through the Custom House, and 
were permitted to take on shore with us those 
articles only, which were needed for immediate 
use. As we had left most of our clothing with 
our carriage at Civita Vecchia, we took on shore 
all that we had with us, consisting of a small port- 
manteau and a carpet-bag, while all the luggage 
and merchandise goods, belonging to the other 
passengers, some of which were of great value, 
were left on board. 

The next morning, we were awakened by our 
faithful servant, with the intelligence that the 
steam-boat was consumed by fire, a few hours 
after the passengers had quitted it. Every thing 
was destroyed. Some of the passengers lost their 
all, and some a very great amount of property. 
Francois, our servant, lost his trunk, and unhap- 
pily some valuable property which it contained. 
Had we not left our carriage at Civita Vecchia, 



NAPLES. 23 

it would undoubtedly have been destroyed, to- 
gether with the greater part of our clothing and 
other valuable articles which it contained. In 
this, as well as in many other circumstances which 
occurred during our journeyings, we have abundant 
occasion to acknowledge, with devout gratitude, 
the merciful interpositions of a kind and protecting 
Providence, 



CHAPTER II. 



NAPLES — ROME FLORENCE. 



Naples is one of the most populous cities in 
Europe, — but its population is miserable and de- 
graded in the extreme. The lazaroni, or common 
beggars, infest every part of the city, and their 
squalid poverty is so disgusting, that there is dan- 
ger of becoming callous and hardened to those 
sensibilities, which human wretchedness and suffer- 
ing ought ever to inspire. Here the Catholic 
religion is to be seen in all its pomp and circum- 
stance. Splendid churches, and the gaudy dresses 
of its officiating clergy, meet you on every side ; 
but you look in vain for those salutary and happy 
influences which a pure and unadulterated Chris- 
tianity always produces. 

But even in this corrupt and wicked place, 
there are to be found those who have not defiled 



NAPLES. 25 

their garments. There is a respectable congrega- 
tion of the Church of England, where the gospel 
is faithfully preached from Sabbath to Sabbath. 
The Rev. Mr. Valette, a faithful missionary, to 
whom I was introduced by my lamented friend, 
the Rev. Samuel Green of Boston, preaches to a 
small congregation in French, and to a Swiss regi- 
ment in their native tongue. He is a devoted and 
excellent man, and is doing much good. 

From our hotel we had a most delightful view 
of the Bay of Naples and of the celebrated vol- 
canic mountain, Vesuvius. No eruption took 
place during our visit, but the smoke, continually 
ascending from its summit, and the variegated 
clouds that surrounded it, afforded us from our 
windows a most sublime and beautiful prospect. 

We made an excursion to visit the far-famed 
excavated cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii. 
The first of these cities is but partially exca- 
vated, but the latter presents to the admiring eye 
one of the most wonderful scenes that is to be 
met with on the globe. An entire city, with the 
remains of its buildings, streets, gardens, baths, 
tombs, &c. &c, as it existed eighteen hundred 
years ago, is laid open to the view. All the 
movable articles, that were found in it, together 
with many entire skeletons of its wretched inhabi- 
3 



26 ROME. 

tants, are still preserved in the celebrated Mu- 
seum in Naples, and are well worthy the atten- 
tion of the curious traveller. We made another 
excursion to visit the classic ground, rendered 
memorable by Virgil, and the poets and orators of 
his time. 

We remained in Naples a short time, during 
which the weather was cold and uncomfortable, 
and on the 8th of January, 1835, we engaged 
a carriage and horses to take us to Rome, that 
ancient city, so celebrated in story and in song, 
and in the history of the church. What rendered 
our journey to Rome particularly interesting, was 
the fact, that we passed over the very same 
ground that was trodden by the apostle Paul and 
his companions eighteen centuries ago. Before 
reaching the city, we noticed the place in which 
it is supposed stood the Appii Forum or Three 
Taverns, where the apostle met his Christian 
friends from Rome, and thanked God and took 
courage. 

The road from Naples to Rome, passing through 
the long and dreary meadows denominated the 
Pontine Marshes, is at certain seasons of the year, 
rendered unhealthy by a disease, called the Mal- 
aria, and is frequently infested with banditti. We 
passed over it, however, without experiencing any 



ROME. 27 

trouble or inconvenience, and arrived safely on the 
evening of the 10th, in that city which was once 
the mistress of the world. t 

It will not comport with my design, to give 
in this place a particular account of this ancient 
city. Its early history is well known. The re- 
mains of many of its celebrated temples, forums, 
columns, and palaces, afford unceasing satisfaction 
to the antiquary, the scholar, and the man of 
taste. But to the Christian, nothing can exceed 
in interest the apostolic and ecclesiastical associ- 
ations, by which he is everywhere surrounded. 
Here, the great Apostle to the Gentiles boldly 
preached the faith of Christ in his own hired 
house, and here he sealed his testimony to the 
truth as it is in Jesus with his blood. 

The spacious Ampitheatre, called the Coliseum, 
still stands in all its massive grandeur, within whose 
extensive area the blood of the primitive Christians 
was poured out like water, and their bodies 
shockingly mangled and devoured by wild beasts, 
for the amusement of the people. The exten- 
sive catacombs, or subterranean passages, still re- 
main, within whose dark and mazy labyrinths the 
primitive Christians sought refuge from their bloody 
persecutors, and " sang praises to Christ as God." 
They served, also, as sepulchres for their slaugh- 



28 ROME. 

tered dead, and their gloomy cells are, to this 
day, whitened with the bones of martyrs. 

While there is much to interest the Christian 
antiquary in exploring the localities, so intimately 
associated with the early propagators of his faith, 
his heart is pained within him in witnessing, on 
every side, the lamentable effects of that degrad- 
ing superstition, which has usurped the place of a 
purer faith, in this renowned and venerable city. 
Heathen temples, it is true, have been converted 
into nominally Christian churches, but idolatry re- 
mains the same, though disguised by different and 
purer names. The famous bronze statue of the 
apostle Peter, which stands in the splendid edifice 
that bears his name, is said to have been the person- 
ification of Jupiter, taken from a heathen temple, 
and the numerous statues and paintings of the 
holy virgin, which everywhere meet the eye, have 
taken the places that were once occupied by 
Venus and other goddesses of the heathen my- 
thology. Indeed, the transition from ancient 
polytheism to Romish superstition, appears neither 
forced nor unnatural. The gorgeous vestments 
of the Catholic priesthood, bring us back, very 
sensibly, in our imaginations, to the interior of 
heathen temples and the services of pagan altars ; 
and, while witnessing their pompous processions 



ROME. 29 

and solemn mockery, we seem to forget that we 
are living in the nineteenth century of the Christian 
era, and almost fancy ourselves walking the streets 
of Rome, when in the glory of her power and 
the height of her idolatrous worship. We are 
soon, however, awakened from this reverie of the 
imagination, by the images of faded glory and 
departed greatness, which, on all sides, meet the 
view of the observant traveller. 

Rome is, evidently, in a dilapidated and de- 
caying state. Its population is gradually declining, 
and nothing but the annual influx of foreigners 
prevents it from entire decay. Many, if not a 
large proportion of its inhabitants are entirely 
supported by the liberal disbursements of the 
wealthy English, who visit this ancient city during 
the winter season, and I am persuaded, notwith- 
standing the boasting of the friends of the Eternal 
City, that, should the event of war, or any other 
cause interrupt her intercourse with England, she 
would soon lose her municipal existence. 

Of the importance of this dependent relation, 
the civil authorities appear to be aware, and the 
Pope himself winks at the establishment of a 
Protestant Episcopal church, though for the sake 
of apparent consistency, it stands a few rods 
outside the gate of the city. This place of wor- 



30 ROME. 

ship is well attended by the numerous English, 
who reside in the city, and although many of them 
are gay and fashionable, and apparently worldly 
minded, they are favored with the services of an 
evangelical and faithful clergyman, who does not 
" shun to declare the whole counsel of God." 

During a month's residence in Rome, I had 
repeated opportunities of witnessing the ritual and 
various ceremonies of the Catholic church, and 
my impression has been, that, although among the 
ignorant and lower classes of the people, there 
may be found many sincere devotees to its super- 
stitious peculiarities, it has but a very slight hold 
upon the cool and deliberate judgment of the more 
intelligent part of the community. The priesthood 
is very numerous, for the endowments of the 
church afford a livelihood to many, who would 
otherwise perish for want of bread. But, if I do 
not much mistake, many of the ecclesiastics them- 
selves have very little confidence in the value or 
efficacy of their official duties. — The Pope, who is 
far advanced in life, seems to be a sincere, though 
bigoted Catholic, who appears to discharge his 
sacerdotal functions with great gravity and un- 
affected seriousness and solemnity. He is not un- 
frequently visited by Protestant strangers ; and he 
had made an appointment to receive several Amer- 



ROME. 31 

ican friends of my acquaintance, but our departure 
from the city, a few days previous to the appointed 
time, deprived us of the opportunity we should 
otherwise have had, of a personal interview. 

My conviction, from my observation since I 
have been travelling in Catholic countries is, that 
the faith of the church of Rome is decidedly on 
the wane, — that its most intelligent and observant 
advocates are fully sensible of it, — and that they 
are looking forward to its revivification in the new 
world. But in this forlorn hope, I trust, and con- 
fidently believe, they will be disappointed. I am 
not insensible to the efforts that have recently been 
made, and are now making, for the establish- 
ment and spread of Romanism in our own country, 
especially in the great valley of the Mississippi. 
That there is danger to be apprehended from these 
efforts, cannot be denied, and that every means 
should be used, consistent with Christian principle 
and duty to arrest the progress of this fatal heresy, 
will not be questioned by every friend of his 
country and the cause of pure and undefiled re- 
ligion. But I cannot think, for a moment, that 
the man of sin will ever obtain a predominant 
influence in this free and happy land. I have 
too much confidence in the virtue and intelligence 
of the people. Where the means of education are 



32 FLORENCE. 

so generally enjoyed, as they are in our country, 
it is morally impossible that the Catholic faith, 
which depends for its existence and nutriment on 
the ignorance of mankind, should ever obtain a 
permanent footing, much less should ever become 
the prevailing religion of the land. This firm 
persuasion, however, should not lessen in any de- 
gree, our persevering and judicious endeavors to 
counteract the efforts that are making by the Ro- 
man Pontiff, and other Catholic potentates in 
Europe, to establish and patronize the peculiarities 
of their faith in the western world. 

After having seen most of the objects of curi- 
osity in ancient and modern Rome, we pursued 
our journey in our carriage (which had arrived 
from Civita Vecchia) to the north of Italy. I 
need not say, that we left Rome with much regret, 
as we never expected to visit it again. In this 
ancient and celebrated city there is much to in- 
terest the admirer of the fine arts. As a specimen 
of architecture, nothing can exceed the interior of 
St. Peter's church. I visited it again and again, 
and was never satiated, nor even satisfied. It 
was with no trifling emotions of regret that we 
beheld its lofty dome gradually disappear from our 
view, as we took our departure on the 17th of 
February, from Rome for Florence. 



FLORENCE. 33 

Our journey to this far-famed city of the arts, 
renowned as the residence of the distinguished 
family of the Medici, was performed without any 
memorable occurrence. We spent about ten days 
in visiting its celebrated gallery of statuary and 
paintings — the royal residence of the Grand Duke 
of Tuscany — the public gardens — the magnificent 
Duomo, or Cathedral, and several beautiful 
churches. 

During our short residence in Florence, we had 
an opportunity of witnessing a striking instance of 
Catholic superstition. It had been for several 
weeks a season of severe drought. It was publicly 
announced that a celebrated picture of a female 
martyr, which had been for a long period con- 
cealed from the vulgar gaze, would be exposed to 
the sight and adorations of the people, that through 
her intercessions, accompanying the prayers of the 
faithful, the desired blessing might be procured. 
For three successive days, the church, where the 
picture was exhibited, was thronged by credulous 
devotees, and among them the Grand Duke and 
Duchess of Tuscany, and many of the nobility. 
Towards the close of the third day, the rain fell 
in torrents, and the numerous bells throughout 
the city announced the complete success of 
the miracle. ■ 



34 FLORENCE. 

Such miracles are of frequent occurrence in the 
Catholic church. We arrived in Naples a few 
days too late to witness the celebrated miracle 
which is annually performed, of the liquefaction of 
the blood of St. Januarius. This saint is the 
patron saint of Naples, and suffered martyrdom in 
the neighborhood of that city, at an early period of 
the Christian era. Some of his blood is reported 
to have been preserved, and to remain in a con- 
gealed state, except on the return of the anniver- 
sary of his death, when it is said to liquefy in the 
presence of a vast number of admiring devotees. 
One of our countrymen, who arrived a few days 
too late to witness this wonderful transmutation, 
on expressing his regret to one of the priests, was 
gravely told, that, at a very trifling expense, his 
curiosity might immediately be gratified. — Such 
is the astonishing ignorance and delusion which 
prevails among this degraded population. 

We had frequent opportunities, while in Flo- 
rence, of seeing our distinguished countryman, Mr. 
Greenough, who is employed by Congress in ex- 
ecuting a colossal statue of the father of his 
country, to be placed in the Capitol at Wash- 
ington. — We saw also the Duke and Duchess of 
Tuscany, both in private and in public. 

The state of religion in Florence, as far as I 



FLORENCE. 35 

could judge, is exceedingly low, and grossly super- 
stitious. There is indeed an English Episcopal 
church in the city, but no one is admitted without 
pay, and the preaching is said not to be worth the 
money. I preferred attending a small French Pro- 
testant congregation, where the gospel is preached 
without money and without price. There is some- 
thing exceedingly revolting to my mind in de- 
manding a fee for entrance into the house of God, 
where rich and poor, high and low, should meet 
together. 



CHAPTER III. 



VENICE — MILAN — GENEVA. 



From Florence we proceeded to Venice, through 
Bologna, Ferrara and Padua. Leaving our car- 
riage at Fusina, we embarked in a gondola for 
the city of the sea, where we should have no need 
of horses to convey us from one part of it to 
another. 

Venice, though evidently in a state of decline, 
is still a most interesting city. Its unique ap- 
pearance, as standing on the sea, (or rather on a 
number of sunken islands,) intersected by canals, 
instead of streets, strikes the stranger with pleasing 
admiration. But it is not the object of this brief 
narrative to indulge in topographical description; 
if it were, this marine city, which was the favorite 
residence of the talented but perverted author of 
" Childe Harold," would furnish abundant material 



VENICE. 37 

for the purpose. We stood where he stood, on 
the Bridge of Sighs — " a prison and a palace on 
each hand." We visited them both. The palace 
of the Doges in the proud days of the republic, 
though not at present occupied by the constituted 
authorities, is shown to strangers. Its spacious 
halls — its extensive library — the very rooms that 
were occupied by the council of " Three Hun- 
dred," and the still more dreaded council of 
" Three," were opened for our inspection, and, I 
need not say, recalled to our minds scenes of 
painful interest, which was not lessened by the 
visit which we subsequently paid to the former 
prison and dungeons of the Inquisition. After 
receiving their sentence, the unhappy victims of a 
cruel superstition passed from the hall of judgment 
over the bridge of sighs to their gloomy cell, and 
thence, as soon as they were shriven by the ap- 
pointed confessor, into the eternal world. 

We passed a week in Venice — visited many of 
its splendid churches and palaces — and were much 
gratified in viewing the statuary and paintings 
which they contained. We were there on the 
last days of the Carnival — and for two or three 
nights, the spacious square of St. Mark was filled 
with people, many of them disguised in the most 
grotesque forms of masquerade. 



38 VENICE. 

Before leaving Venice, we paid a visit to the 
Armenian Convent, situated on an island, a short 
distance from the city, where we were very politely 
received by the learned and courteous secretary of 
the establishment, who speaks English fluently, as 
well as a number of other languages. He told us 
that he was well acquainted with Lord Byron, 
who used frequently to take lessons of him in the 
Armenian language. Of his infidelity he appeared 
to entertain no doubt, and he assured us that he 
was a very unhappy man. In this establishment 
there is a press, at which are printed several dif- 
ferent languages. We took leave of this literary 
and urbane ecclesiastic with regret, and enrolled 
our names in the visitor's book, which contained 
the names of many of our own countrymen, as well 
as others from different parts of the world. 

On returning to the city we visited a lunatic 
asylum, on a neighboring island, and were much 
pleased with the propriety, cleanliness and general 
order of the establishment. 

The Roman Catholic religion is the only form 
of Christianity, if it can be called such, that exists 
in Venice. We sought in vain for a Protestant 
place of worship of any denomination. I believe 
there is a Jewish synagogue in the place, but, 
with this exception, all the other places of wor- 



VENICE. 39 

ship, which are numerous, are under the control 
of the See of Rome. 

During our stay in Venice, intelligence was re- 
ceived of the death of the Emperor of Austria ; 
and the incessant sound of bells, in consequence 
of this event, was not a little annoying to us. 
Great preparations were making for a funeral 
ceremony in the church of St. Mark, which was 
to take place on the day after that, on which we 
proposed to quit Venice. The death of this 
Potentate does not appear to be much felt by 
his Venetian subjects, many of whom sigh in vain 
for the return of the best days of the republic. 

We were not a little delighted, on "taking one 
of our aquatic excursions on the beautiful La- 
guna, in perceiving the American flag waving 
among the shipping of the harbor. We directed 
our gondolier to guide his boat under the stern 
of the vessel, where, to our surprise and gratifica- 
tion, we read the name of the Impulse of Boston. 
W r e immediately hailed her, and were received on 
board with great politeness by Capt. Dunbar, who 
informed us that he was bound for Boston, and 
would be happy to take charge of any letters or 
parcels we might intrust to his care. The ap- 
pearance of an American vessel is a rare occur- 
rence in Venice, as it is said that this is the first 



40 MILAN. 

that has arrived at this port for thirty-six years. 
In testimony of their desire to cultivate commer- 
cial relations with the United States, the Vene- 
tian Chamber of Commerce have presented Capt. 
Dunbar with a handsome flag. 

On Monday the 9th of March, we left Venice 
and returned to Padua, whence we proceeded on 
our tour to Milan, the northern capital of Italy, 
over the plains of Lombardy, and through the 
interesting towns of Vicenza and Verona. We 
found the road good, and arrived at Milan without 
any occurrence worthy of notice. 

Milan is a beautiful city, distinguished for its 
Cathedral, whose external architecture exceeds 
any thing of the kind I ever witnessed. The 
interior of St. Peter's at Rome, and the exterior 
of the Cathedral at Milan, are the most perfect 
models of ecclesiastical architecture, I doubt not, 
of which the world can boast. We ascended to 
the top of this superb edifice, and had a nearer 
view of those innumerable little marble statues of 
saints and angels, which so richly decorate this 
magnificent temple. The interior of this fine 
Cathedral is not particularly striking. It contains 
the cemetery of Charles Borromeo, who is the 
patron saint of Milan. His tomb is reported to 
have cost a sum of money nearly equal to a 



MILAN. 41 

million of dollars. The body of the saint is 
exhibited for a pecuniary consideration, richly 
embalmed and loaded with jewels that have been 
presented by various princes and other distin- 
guished individuals, who at different times have 
visited this shrine. This remarkable personage, 
though now lying in such state, surrounded by 
diamonds and jewels, was, during his lifetime, 
distinguished for his great self-denial and acts of 
liberality and beneficence. His meek and be- 
nevolent spirit would have revolted at the lavish 
expenditure, with which his superstitious ad- 
mirers have chosen to load the deposit of his 
earthly remains. 

During his life the city of Milan was visited 
with that dreadful scourge of humanity, the 
plague, and he not only fearlessly exposed his 
own life, but expended an immense fortune, in 
administering to the necessities and comforts of 
the wretched sufferers. The extensive Alms- 
houses, erected by his princely bounty, though 
now comparatively useless, still remain as a 
monument of the unwearied liberality of this ex- 
cellent man. He was devoted to the spiritual, as 
well as the temporal interests of his fellow crea- 
tures, and it is said, that he was the first to have 
conceived the idea of collecting children together 
4 



42 MILAN. 

on the Sabbath for religious instruction. This 
honor, indeed, has always been awarded to the 
immortal Raikes ; and so far as it relates to the 
instruction of children in the sacred Scriptures, it 
may still be exclusively awarded to him. But 
the practice of the religious instruction of children 
on the Sabbath, in the tenets of the church of 
Rome is, I have no doubt, as old as the time of 
Charles Borromeo. It prevails at the present mo- 
ment very generally, if not universally, in Catholic 
countries. During the interval of the morning 
and the evening services, it is the custom of the 
priests to collect the children about them — the 
boys in one part, and the girls in another part 
of the church, to receive religious instruction; and 
I have frequently stopped to listen to their exhor- 
tations, though I could not well understand the 
language in which they were given. 

The following account of this remarkable man 
may not be unacceptable to the reader. 

" Charges Borromeo, Archbishop of Milan, 
was descended from one of the most noble and op- 
ulent families in Italy. Being inclined to an ec- 
clesiastical life, he applied himself early to those 
studies, which seemed best to qualify him for that 
high function ; conversing constantly with those, 
who were most famous for learning and virtue in 



MILAN. 43 

his country, and, what is still far more effectual, dil- 
igently studying the writings and examples of the 
wise and holy dead. His uncle being afterwards 
elected Pope, the principal preferments of the 
church, both as to riches and honors, were soon 
conferred on him. But he showed even in his 
early years a greatness and goodness of mind, far 
superior to that of most ecclesiastics of that corrupt 
age. Instead of making it the object of his life to 
engross many preferments, and then to live on 
their incomes in pride and idleness, in avarice or 
luxury ; he immediately resigned, or devoted to 
charitable purposes, three quarters of his ecclesias- 
tical, and all his own large property, leaving to him- 
self, of an income, which even in that time amount- 
ed to twenty-five thousand pounds sterling per 
annum, little more than what was barely sufficient 
for the mere necessaries of life. He left the pomp 
of the court of Rome, and retired to his residence, 
which was almost perpetual, in his diocese. This 
he made the scene of his glorious labors. For 
though the greatness of Borromeo's mind was un- 
happily in some instances obscured by the super- 
stition of that age and country, yet in general the 
designs and actions of his whole life were most 
noble and wise. He was indeed a great instru- 
ment in reforming in some degree the corruptions 



44 MILAN. 

of the church, and bringing back the clergy to 
their duty by his noble example in so illustrious a 
station. His whole life was an uninterrupted scene 
of zeal in doing good. Few hours did he allow to 
sleep ; scarce any to any other refreshment. His 
great temperance indeed was a perpetual source 
to him of that spirit of industry, and of that tran- 
quillity of mind, 'which were so useful for such 
labors. Daily did he allot several hours to study ; 
in which he was both indefatigable, and in general 
judicious ; — several for private and public devo- 
tion ; — for he every day publicly read and per- 
formed himself the whole divine service of the 
church, — twice in every day did he give public 
audience to the poor : hearing their complaints 
with the greatest patience ; answering them with 
the greatest sweetness ; relieving them instantly, 
if possible, in their distress. The remaining hours 
were employed in the particular business of the 
day : for each day had its appointed business ; 
some days were allotted to attending the business 
of his ecclesiastical tribunals ; — in the proceedings 
of which no fear of the greatest nobles or princes 
could sway him from what, after much deliberation 
and consultation, he was convinced was right, — or 
the overseeing of the erection of the public buildings 
of charity and piety, and the seminaries of learning, 



MILAN. 45 

which he was continually founding. Other days 
were appointed for the visiting and inspecting, by 
turns, the several parishes and religious houses, 
the hospitals, and even prisons of this great city. 
Besides the good which he did in these, he made 
it in general a rule to walk on foot from one of 
these places to the other, that he might give op- 
portunity to any one in the way to speak to him, 
and thus not lose the least opportunity of doing 
good. 

" Thus were the months employed within the 
walls of Milan : the rest of the year was passed in 
visiting the other parts of his diocese : he gave 
great attention to the smallest parishes ; despising 
no person for his low condition, and being particu- 
larly industrious and happy in understanding and 
directing the different turns and tempers of mind 
in all ranks of men : he neglected not, even that 
part of his diocese, which lay in some of the 
wildest regions of the Alps. The inhabitants of 
those mountains were surprised to see a Cardinal 
Archbishop travelling on foot from one village to 
another, discoursing on the road familiarly with 
the meanest laborers and shepherds ; edifying 
them by his pious instructions, and infinitely more 
so by such an example of humility ; relieving 
their poverty with the greatest generosity and 



46 MILAN. 

charity ; and yet himself constantly living more 
hardly than any one of them would easily have 
submitted to do. To complete his charity to that 
country, which was buried in ignorance, he fre- 
quently sent proper persons from Milan for their 
instruction ; and crowned the work with founding 
the Helvetic college in Milan, as a learned semi- 
nary for constantly supporting about one hundred 
young students in divinity of that nation. 

"In the great famine of the year 1570, he 
every day, and that continually for the space of 
several months, fed upward of three thousand 
poor. To defray the immense expense of his 
charity in that dreadful year, he sold the princi- 
pality of Oria, an estate of his own at Naples, of 
two thousand pounds per annum, and distributed 
immediately the whole product of that sale to the 
poor : he sold also his jewels, and the rich furni- 
ture of his family palace for seven thousand five 
hundred pounds sterling, and distributed this sum 
likewise in the same manner: he sold all the plain 
furniture of his episcopal house, even the very bed 
on which he slept. 

" Six years afterwards, happened that dreadful 
plague of Milan, which destroyed about twenty- 
five thousand of its inhabitants : far from fleeing 
from such danger, he stirred not from the city 



MILAN. 47 

during all that dreadful time : daily was he to be 
seen prostrating himself with his people before the 
altars of mercy : continually was he visiting with 
the greatest fortitude, piety, and benevolence, 
multitudes of sick and dying, whether in private 
houses, hospitals, or prisons. The dismal specta- 
cles in these places so moved his good and kind 
heart, that he again sold all his plate, furniture, 
he. which he had lately repurchased, and gave 
that and every thing he was worth to the relief of 
the poor in that dreadful distress. He left scarcely 
necessaries for himself: one evening particularly, 
when he returned home from the dismal fatigues 
of the day, he found not a morsel of bread in the 
archiepiscopal palace, with which to refresh him- 
self — for his diet was little better than bread and 
water — or any money to buy it withal. It is to 
be observed, that at this very time, he constantly 
and daily supported not fewer than fourteen hun- 
dred sick persons ; and it is estimated, that on the 
whole no less than seventy thousand of his country- 
men owed their lives to him. — After the cessation 
of the plague, he founded, as his income came in, 
several charities for the reception and support of 
the poor orphans of those who had perished in the 
pestilence. 

" No wonder that all the inhabitants of this 



48 MILAN. 

country should look on him as their father. 
Among the multitudes that loved and adored him, 
there were, however, some few wretched enough 
to form a conspiracy even against his life. They 
discharged their pistols against his breast, even 
while on his knees before the altar. The wound 
was given while that part of the gospel was 
reading — ' Let not your heart be troubled, neither 
let it be afraid: if they persecute you, ye know 
that they have persecuted me also.'' The prelate, 
though thinking that he had received his death's 
wound, changed not his posture or countenance, 
but continued still in the same meek devotion, re- 
signing his soul to Him whom he was adoring. 
He afterwards did all in his power, according to 
his usual gentleness and love to his enemies, to 
contrive the escape and save the lives of his 
assassins : of some, who were condemned to the 
gallies, he obtained the liberty : others were by 
the justice of the nation, notwithstanding his en- 
deavors, sentenced to death. They died repen- 
tant, and recommending their families to the good- 
ness of Borromeo : With joy did he accept the 
guardianship of them, and protected and provided 
for them with the most parental charity and love. 
Informed of other conspiracies against him, he 
showed the same unmoved fortitude, burning the 



MILAN. 49 

letters which brought him the intelligence, and 
refusing guards, which the government offered 
him for the protection of his person : saying, that 
the prayers of his flock were his best guard. But 
the whole of his life was one continued chain of 
the most undaunted fortitude, the most indefatiga- 
ble beneficence, the purest virtue, the sincerest 
and deepest humility, and the most fervent and 
exalted piety. Twenty years did he thus execute 
the episcopal office. His labors were then fin- 
ished by a fever of some few days, or rather of 
some few hours ; and he was called to his ever- 
lasting reward, leaving behind him on earth a 
memory adored by his countrymen, and honored 
by the wise and good of all nations, and of all 
religions." 

We were much pleased with the city of Milan. 
It is more .cleanly, and the people are far more 
active and industrious than in any other city we 
visited in Italy. The inhabitants in general are su- 
perior in personal appearance to the more southern 
Italians, though we noticed an unusual number of 
dwarfs, of both sexes, for which we found it diffi- 
cult to account. The Ambrosian Library, and the 
Palace of the Arts, contain many beautiful spec- 
imens of statuary and painting. We were partic- 
ularly gratified on visiting in an old convent the 



50 MILAN. 

original picture of the Last Supper, by Leonard 
de Vinci. It is much injured by time. There 
are two copies of this celebrated picture, in the 
college of the Brera, or palace of the arts ; one of 
them was painted by a scholar of the artist while 
he was living — the other, as large as the original, 
is a remarkably good copy. 

We were frequently reminded of Napoleon in 
Milan. It was here that he was crowned king of 
Italy. Every thing however is done by the Aus- 
trian government to efface from the memory of the 
Milanese the recollection of this remarkable man. 
The famous colossal statue in bronze, made by 
Canova, which once ornamented the Piazza del 
Duomo, we saw lying prostrate among a parcel of 
rubbish, in a lower apartment of the palace of the 
arts. 

After spending a few days in Milan, we pro- 
ceeded on our tour to Geneva over the Alps, and 
by the celebrated road constructed by Buonaparte, 
called the Simplon. The first day's ride was 
very delightful, through a beautiful country, and 
on the banks of some of the finest lakes in 
Northern Italy. We passed in view of a colossal 
statue of St. Charles Borromeo. It is said to be 
about seventy feet high, and is entirely composed 
of brass, except the hands, which are of bronze. 



MILAN. 51 

The saint is looking towards Arona, his native 
place, and from the attitude in which he stands, 
appears to be in the act of blessing it. The head 
alone of this immense statue, will contain, accord- 
ing to Carter, eight persons comfortably. Madame 
Starke says, that four can be accommodated, 
seated around a table, and Francois, our servant, 
told us that he had been in it with thirteen beside 
himself. 

The second day brought us to the commence- 
ment of the Alpine ascent ; and we were not a 
little alarmed by the intelligence we received, that 
a most frightful accident had very recently taken 
place, in crossing the Simplon ; a carriage and 
horses having been precipitated over one of the 
tremendous precipices, by a sudden gust of wind, 
by which the horses and all the passengers were 
killed. This terrific intelligence, however, did 
not deter us from prosecuting our journey, rely- 
ing upon the protection of that kind Providence 
which had continually watched over us. The 
day in which we attempted to pass the mountain- 
ous barrier between Italy and Switzerland, was 
pleasant, and apparently favorable ; but as we 
proceeded towards the summit of the mountain, 
the wind began to rise, and to blow fearfully. 
We soon arrived to such depths of snow, as made 



52 VEVAY. 

it necessary to remove the wheels of our carriage, 
and to avail ourselves of runners provided for the 
occasion. In this way we passed most frightful 
precipices, and when we arrived at the place, 
where the awful casualty was said to have occur- 
red, we held our breath for several moments in 
deep anxiety. Through the merciful providence 
of our heavenly Protector, the wind, which, but 
an hour or two before, blew almost an hurricane, 
subsided into a calm, and we crossed the danger- 
ous pass in safety. After a tedious ride of thirteen 
hours, we reached the place of our destination 
without any accident, and, I trust, felt our hearts 
swell in gratitude to our almighty Preserver. 

Having in some measure recovered from the 
fatigue of the preceding day, we resumed our 
journey on the morrow, through that interesting 
country which we had long wished to see, and 
which, after all, we were obliged to pass through 
at a most unpropitious season of the year. The 
weather, during the whole time we were in Swit- 
zerland, was cold, cheerless and uncomfortable. 
We arrived late at night, at Vevay, on the banks 
of the beautiful Leman, or lake of Geneva, having 
passed in the dark without knowing it, to our 
subsequent mortification, the castle of Chillon, so 
romantic in its situation, and so celebrated by the 



GENEVA. 53 

poetry of. Lord Byron. We found ourselves at a 
very comfortable inn, and the next morning left 
for Geneva, through Lausanne and other beautiful 
villages on the borders of one of the finest lakes in 
the world. Had the weather been propitious, the 
ride would have been most delightful ; even as it 
was, it was not destitute of interest, and led us to 
imagine what it would be under fairer skies at a 
more congenial season. We arrived towards 
evening at Geneva, and took up our abode for 
several days at one of the most extensive and 
comfortable hotels we had met with on the con- 
tinent. We were most cordially welcomed by a 
lady of our acquaintance from Boston, who was 
residing in Geneva for the education of her chil- 
dren. We were delighted to find, also, at the 
same hotel with ourselves, a very interesting 
family, who made a passage with us last October, 
in the Sylvie de Grasse. Mons. Barbey, who 
was a native of Switzerland, contributed much, 
during our short residence in Geneva, to our com- 
fort and happiness, by his kind and unwearied 
attentions. Through his politeness, we were 
favored with a sight of the latest papers from 
New York ; and the very first intelligence that 
met our eager eye, overwhelmed us with surprise 
and grief. 1 refer to the announcement of the 



54 GENEVA. 

sudden death of our dearly beloved and much 
valued friend, the Rev. Dr. Wisner. The long 
and endearing intimacy that subsisted between 
him and myself; the most perfect and unrestrained 
confidence that characterized this intimacy, and 
the blasted hopes of renewing it again with in- 
creasing delight on my return, rendered this 
unexpected intelligence peculiarly afflictive, and 
cast a gloom over the interesting scenes through 
which we were moving ; and it was long before 
I regained sufficient equanimity to engage with 
any cordiality in the occurrences of the passing 
hour. 

Geneva is not what it once was. Its glory has 
departed. Its " venerable company of pastors," 
as the associated ministers of this city are called, 
are, with one or two exceptions, Unitarian in 
sentiment. The very pulpit in which the immor- 
tal Calvin preached the doctrines of the Reforma- 
tion, is now occupied by those of a different and 
opposite faith. The degeneracy of this people, 
and their present depraved and vitiated taste, is 
evident from the fact, that while not a stone nor 
any other memorial directs the inquiring traveller 
to the grave of Calvin, a colossal statue of the 
licentious and infidel Rousseau, occupies one of 
the most beautiful and conspicuous parts of the city. 



GENEVA. 55 

Amidst the general apostacy, there yet re- 
main those, both within and without the national 
Protestant church, who adhere to the faith once 
delivered to the saints. I was most cordially re- 
ceived by the Rev. Caesar Mai an, D. D. He 
lives a little out of the city, and has a neat and 
convenient chapel, erected in his garden, at his 
own expense, where he preaches to a small but 
devout congregation. His mild, benignant and 
expressive countenance, and the peculiar suavity 
of his manners, render him a most agreeable com- 
panion. He converses in English with fluency, 
and occasionally preaches in that language. We 
heard him preach in French, and were much 
interested in his manner, and, as far as we could 
understand, in the matter of his discourses. We 
heard, also, an evangelical minister, connected 
with the national church, (Rev. Mr. Goissin,) 
deliver a lecture to youth in a chapel called the 
Oratoire. There is also a society of Christians, 
composed of independents, (or Congregationalists,) 
and Baptists, who worship, for the present, in a 
chamber or hall. They have two or three pas- 
tors, one of whom, at least, is a Baptist in senti- 
ment. With this congregation, an excellent 
family, by the name of Wolff, with whom it was 
our happiness to be acquainted, were connected. 



56 GENEVA. 

M. Wolff and his family, keep a pension, or 
private boarding-house, next door to Dr. Malan's, 
where several of our pious American friends, who 
have occasionally visited Geneva, have found ex- 
cellent accommodations. The young ladies called 
upon us on the morning of our departure, in com- 
pany with one of their pastors, the Rev. Mr. 
Guers, with whose simplicity and sincerity I was 
greatly delighted. 

We visited the public library in the college of 
Geneva, and were highly gratified by the sight of 
several ancient manuscripts, among them some in 
the handwriting of Calvin, which, notwithstanding 
the general defection from his creed, are preserved 
with scrupulous care and attention. We were 
shown also an original picture of this celebrated 
Reformer, as well as the portraits of several of 
his cotemporaries. 

We visited also a large gallery of paintings, 
among which we noticed a modern painting of 
the death-bed of Calvin. He is represented as 
a very pale and emaciated figure, seated upright 
in his bed, taking his last farewell of his numerous 
friends, Beza, Varel, and others, whose likenesses 
are copied from the portraits just mentioned. I 
have seen no picture in the numerous collec- 
tions which I have examined during the last few 



FONTAINBLEAU. 57 

months, which interested me more both as to the 
subject and the execution. 

We waited five days in Geneva to see the sun, 
that we might enjoy the delightful scenery of the 
Lake, and obtain a more perfect view of Mount 
Blanc; but we waited in vain. During the whole 
of the time, dark and gloomy clouds veiled from 
our view the luminary of day, and a cold and 
piercing wind confined us much to the house; 
and when we ventured abroad, blew us about to 
our great discomfort and annoyance. We could 
only hope, that at some future day we might see 
the delightful lakes, and mountains, and valleys 
of Switzerland, under more favorable and auspi- 
cious circumstances. 

Having visited Ferney, the celebrated retreat of 
the skeptical philosopher Voltaire, we left Geneva 
on our way to Paris. Nothing occurred worthy 
of notice on our journey. We arrived at Fon- 
tainbleau the night before we reached the French 
metropolis. Here we were gratified in meeting 
with two of our fellow passengers in the Sylvie 
de Grasse, who had taken up their residence in 
this pleasant village. These French ladies re- 
ceived us with great politeness, and we spent the 
evening very pleasantly, in reviewing the little 
incidents of our outward passage. In the morn- 
5 



58 FONTAINBLEAU. 

ing we visited the palace, and its beautiful gardens 
and forests. In one of the rooms is preserved 
with great care, a small round table, upon which 
Napoleon signed his abdication of the throne of 
France. I have found very generally throughout 
this country, that the memory of Buonaparte is 
cherished with much enthusiasm, while little sym- 
pathy is expressed for Charles the Tenth, and as 
little interest felt for Louis Philippe. The people 
appear to be satisfied with the present govern- 
ment, as, upon the whole, the best they can 
expect, though by no means enthusiastically at- 
tached to it. 



CHAPTER IV. 



PARIS. 



On the 28th of March we arrived again in Paris, 
and took lodgings in the Hotel de Hollande, rue 
de la Paix. A large number of letters awaited 
our arrival, and the intelligence which they con- 
tained, respecting our absent family, friends, and 
people, relieved our anxiety, and filled our hearts 
with joy and gratitude. 

In Paris we were happy to rejoin our much 
valued friend, Rev. Dr. McAuley, of New York, 
who was our fellow passenger from America, and 
our fellow traveller in Italy, and from whom we 
reluctantly separated in Milan. His health, though 
by no means confirmed, appeared to be improved. 
Here, too, we were gratified to meet the Rev. Dr. 
Spring and his daughter, and Mr. and Mrs. Baird, 
who had recently arrived from New York. Dr. 



60 PARIS. 

Spring, as a Delegate from the Presbyterian 
church in the United States, to the Congrega- 
tional Union of England and Wales ; and Rev. Mr. 
Baird, as a resident Agent of the American Pro- 
testant Association for promoting Religion in 
France. We met, also, several other esteemed 
transatlantic friends, some of whom we had seen 
during the past winter in Italy, and some of whom 
were directly from the United States. We found 
ourselves very pleasantly situated in the midst of 
a circle of Christian friends, in the gayest and 
most fashionable city in the world. 

The day after our arrival, being the Sabbath, 
we attended public worship in a Protestant chapel, 
in the rue Taitbout. This is a neat and commo- 
dious place, which will accommodate about five 
hundred people, and was formerly used as a small 
theatre. O ! that the time may come, when the 
twenty or thirty theatres, that are open every 
Sunday evening in this dissipated city, for the 
service of the god of this world, shall no longer 
resound with the sentiments of the stage, and the 
songs of the opera, but be made vocal with the 
doctrines of salvation, and the praises of our Lord 
and Saviour Jesus Christ ! This chapel is sup- 
plied both with French and English preaching. 
In the morning, the Rev. Messrs. Grandpierre 



PARIS. 61 

and Audobez officiate alternately in French, and 
are well attended, not only by French, but by 
several English and American hearers. In the 
afternoon, the service is in English, and has been, 
for several years, conducted by the Rev. Mark 
Wilks, who has been resident in Paris for nearly 
thirty years. Mr. Wilks has done much good, not 
only in Paris, but throughout France, in sustaining 
the different religious institutions, with which he is 
connected. The Rev. Mr. Mines, who had been 
employed as an American missionary to the seamen 
at Havre, and who is a most amiable man, as well 
as a preacher of superior talent, was invited to 
come to Paris as an assistant, and, as was supposed 
by himself and others, as a successor to Mr. Wilks, 
who, it was thought, would leave the pulpit to Mr. 
Mines, and devote himself exclusively to his more 
public engagements. But, it seems, Mr. Wilks 
did not so understand the arrangement, and was 
unwilling to relinquish the sole control of the 
pulpit to Mr. Mines. In consequence of which, 
Mr. Mines thought it his duty, after having con- 
sulted his friends and several of his ministerial 
brethren, who were then in Paris, to withdraw 
from that situation, and return to America. This 
course seemed the less objectionable, from the fact 
of the arrival of the Rev. Mr. Baird, who can 



62 PARIS. 

occasionally preach for Mr. Wilks, while he prose- 
cutes the more general objects of his mission. 

It appears very desirable that there should be 
an American Congregational or Presbyterian church 
established in Paris, having an evangelical and ac- 
ceptable pastor. The American residents would 
feel a sort of national interest in the establishment, 
and might be disposed to attend it. At present, 
the number of pious, devoted, church-going Ameri- 
cans is very small. Like the pious Jews, how- 
ever, in the days of Malachi, " who feared the 
Lord," they " speak often one to another." Four 
or five of them, and sometimes more, meet every 
Saturday evening for prayer, the study of the 
Scripture?, and religious conversation, and we 
cannot doubt that the God of Israel will "hearken 
and hear," and will own them as his " in the day 
when he maketh up his jewels." 

In the morning, we heard Mr. Grandpierre 
preach in French. His manner is interesting, 
and, as far as I could judge from my imperfect 
knowledge of the language, his discourse was 
sound and evangelical. In the afternoon, we were 
refreshed by hearing a very solemn and impressive 
discourse in our own language, and by one of our 
own countrymen, Dr. Spring. Thus passed away 
another of the days of the Son of Man. Though 



PARIS. 63 

we had the privilege of attending public worship 
once and again, there was nothing outside of the 
house of God to remind us of the Sabbath. All 
was gaiety, frolic, riding, promenading, sight-see- 
ing, rope-dancing, puppet-showing, and every sort 
of idle lounging and fashionable confusion. The 
boulevards and other public walks, such as the 
gardens of the Thuilleries, Luxembourg, &c, 
were crowded with people, many of them sitting 
on chairs or benches — some reading newspapers 
and other periodicals ; others taking their coffee, 
lemonade, or ices ; and all apparently regardless 
of the sacred injunction, " Remember the Sabbath 
day to keep it holy." Such is the Sabbath, not 
only in Paris, but in Catholic countries generally, 
I believe I may say universally, at least so far as 
my knowledge extends. The people usually 
attend mass in the morning, but the afternoon and 
evening are given up to the unrestrained indulgence 
of worldly pleasure and gratification. The priests, 
themselves, not unfrequently engage in amuse- 
ments and sports, after having performed the most 
solemn service of their ostentatious and imposing 
ritual. 

One of the greatest difficulties attending the 
conscientious traveller on the continent of Europe, 
is the embarrassment which the usages of society 



64 PARIS. 

everywhere present to the strict observance of 
the Sabbath. Not only are the streets filled with 
people, engaged in their ordinary avocations and 
more particularly devoted to amusement, but the 
custom of travelling on the Sabbath is so universal, 
and regarded with so much indifference by all 
classes of society, that it seems, at first, almost 
impossible to perform any long continued journey 
without encroaching upon holy time. I am per- 
suaded however, that the difficulty is, by no means, 
insurmountable. Steadiness of purpose, and a 
little forethought and calculation in arranging the 
time of departure and the stages of the road, will 
enable the Christian tourist to pursue his route 
without compromising his principles, and without 
any serious inconvenience to himself. 

There is another powerful temptation, which 
will continually present itself to those, who have 
solemnly professed to renounce the vanities of the 
world, while sojourning on the continent of Eu- 
rope. The theatre and the opera follow you 
wherever you go, and are the invariable theme of 
conversation in almost every circle into which you 
are thrown. The government encourages them 
by its enactments, and the clergy sanction them 
by their presence. Indeed almost every one, from 
the king on his throne, to the plainest citizen and 



PARIS. 65 

the humblest peasant, goes to the theatre. It is 
true, a very vigilant police in most European 
cities guards these sources of amusement from 
many of those abuses to which they have been 
considered liable, and the strictest order and de- 
corum is said to prevail both within and without 
their precincts. But, disguise it as you will, the 
theatre has always been the vantage ground of the 
great enemy of souls. 

An argument which is often used, and too fre- 
quently prevails with serious minded travellers is, 
that it is impossible to see and judge of the man- 
ners and customs of the different nations through 
which you pass, without attending their theatres 
and other places of amusement. This argument 
is indeed specious, but fallacious and extremely 
dangerous. We had better remain forever ignorant 
of these manners and customs, than to purchase 
the knowledge of them at the expense of our prin- 
ciples, and by the sacrifice of our purity and 
virtue. I am persuaded, that the only safe rule 
that can be adopted by the Christian in these 
trying circumstances is, never to do any thing 
abroad, that he would not do at home. It is true, a 
strict adherence to this rule may expose him to oc- 
casional inconvenience, and perhaps deprive him of 
some opportunities of seeing the world ; but he will 



66 PARIS. 

be more than compensated for any such sacrifice, 
by the approbation of his conscience, and the sat- 
isfaction afforded by a review of his time, in the 
calm and sober hours of domestic retirement. 

We happened to be in Paris during some of the 
festivals of the Romish church, and had an oppor- 
tunity of attending the church of St. Roch, on 
Good Friday, and hearing high mass performed 
on Easter Sunday in the church of Notre Dame, 
by the Archbishop of Paris, dressed in his ponti- 
fical robes. The Catholic churches in Paris, in 
general, are well attended, especially when the 
people are attracted by a popular preacher. The 
large church of Notre Dame, was crowded to ex- 
cess when it was known that a celebrated preacher, 
then in Paris, was to officiate. Seats were fre- 
quently engaged the night before, and exorbitant 
sums paid to secure them. We made one or two 
attempts to obtain admission, but were unsuc- 
cessful. 

The Protestants in Paris are not without their 
attractive preacher. They have two congrega- 
tions, connected with the Protestant National 
church, one very large in the rue St. Honore, and 
a smaller one in the rue St. Antoine. These 
churches are supplied by four pastors, who preach 
in rotation. One of them, Mr. Monod, Jr., is de- 



PARIS. 67 

cidedly evangelical, while his father, and the other 
two pastors, are supposed to be inclining to Arian- 
ism, if not to Socinianism. One of these, the Rev. 
Mr. Coqueril, who is the most decided Unitarian, 
is a man of very superior talents, and a most elo- 
quent declaimer. When he preaches, the church 
is always crowded with a gay and fashionable con- 
gregation. 

Besides his regular turn of preaching on the 
Sabbath, Mr. Monod, Jr., preaches every Sabbath 
evening in a small room over the body of the 
church in the rue St. Honore, called the Oratoire. 
He is attended by the more serious and devout 
part of the congregation, and he preaches to them 
in a plain and familiar manner, adapted rather to 
promote their edification, than to excite their ad- 
miration. 

Religion, in every form, is now tolerated in 
France. The Catholics, and the Protestants 
who choose to place themselves under the national 
patronage, are supported by government, while all 
denominations, who prefer to live by the voluntary 
principle, are protected in the exercise of their 
privileges and rights, by the safeguard of the law. 
There are various places of worship for the accom- 
modation of English and other Protestants, in dif- 
ferent parts of the city. Bishop Luscombe 



68 PARIS. 

preaches in a neat and convenient chapel, to the 
English embassy and others. His congregation, 
though not very numerous, is highly respectable, 
and is usually composed of the nobility and gentry, 
who frequent the French capital. The chapel 
Marbeuf in the Champs Elysees, which was 
originally built and occupied by the Rev. Lewis 
Way, is well attended by the more serious part of 
the English residents. They are favored with the 
services of a truly orthodox and devoted clergyman 
of the church of England, the Rev. Mr. Lovett, 
who preaches, in the most faithful manner, the dis- 
tinguishing doctrines of the gospel. There is also 
a small congregation of Wesley an Methodists, who 
now worship in the Fauxbourg St. Honore, in 
part of a house that was late the city residence of 
General Lafayette. It is fitted up in a neat and 
commodious manner, and accommodates a congre- 
gation of two or three hundred. Their minister, 
the Rev. Mr. Newstead, is a very amiable man 
and good preacher, and is greatly beloved by his 
congregation. I preached for him, and for the 
Rev. Mr. Wilks in the rue Taitbout, to serious and 
attentive congregations. 

The state of vital religion in the French capital, 
as far as I could judge, is very low. There is, 
indeed, much to discourage the friends of truth, in 



PARIS. 69 

the frivolity and infidelity of this gay and licentious 
city ; but there is, also, occasion for encourage- 
ment, in the free and unrestrained exercise of re- 
ligious worship, guaranteed by the government to 
every sect and denomination. I was forcibly 
struck with the change in this respect since the 
time of my first visit to Paris in 1806. A few 
Christian friends then met occasionally for prayer 
and religious conversation ; but they were obliged 
to seek the most retired places for their devotions, 
and were in constant dread of being interrupted by 
the appearance of a gens d'arme, with an order 
from the police for their arrest and confinement. 
Now the utmost liberty is allowed, and every one 
may worship God according to the dictates of his 
conscience, having none " to molest him or make 
him afraid." 

The prejudices of the adherents to the faith of 
the church of Rome, are in many instances giving 
way, and numbers are beginning to be dissatisfied 
with their ancient creed, and are anxiously inquir- 
ing for " a more excellent way." I met with 
several intelligent Catholics, who candidly ac- 
knowledged that the Romish religion was evidently 
on the decline ; and some of them expressed a 
wish that they had been born Protestants, but had 
not sufficient moral courage to come out and sep- 



70 PARIS. 

arate themselves from a church, that vauntingly 
claims to be not only the original, but the exclu- 
sive church of Christ. 

The field is an immense one, and could a num- 
ber of self-denying, humble, prayerful, devoted 
men, who perfectly understand the French lan- 
guage, (for without this their efforts would be in a 
great measure useless,) be sent out from Britain 
or America to occupy it, there is reason to believe 
that their " labor would not be in vain in the 
Lord." 

During my short stay in Paris, I had the satis- 
faction of attending an ordination of missionaries in 
the Protestant church in the rue St. Antoine. It 
was to me an occasion of no ordinary interest, as 
one of my own countrymen, a friend and towns- 
man, Mr. Henry Homes, Jr. from Boston, was to 
be ordained, in connection with a missionary, and 
catechist (or lay teacher) from the French Society. 
The place was well attended, and the services, 
which were exclusively in French, were intro- 
duced with prayer by one of the associate pastors 
of the congregations of the rue St. Honore and rue 
St. Antoine. The sermon, which was very im- 
pressive and eloquent, was delivered by the Rev. 
Mr. Grandpierre, the Secretary of the Missionary 



PARIS. 71 

Society, who appeared to be the presiding officer on 
the occasion. The candidates for ordination then, 
successively, addressed the audience in French, 
giving an account of their reasons for devoting 
themselves to the missionary work. After which 
Mr. Grandpierre descended from the pulpit, and 
laying his hands on their heads, offered the prayer 
of consecration, the candidates kneeling before 
him. When he had closed, each of the clergymen 
present stepped forward in turn, beginning with 
the eldest, and laid their hands on the heads of 
the missionaries for a few minutes in silence or 
inaudible prayer. This part of the service being 
over, the ministers gave them the right hand of 
fellowship, accompanied by a kiss on each cheek, 
and whispered in their ear a few words of comfort 
and encouragement. The services were then con- 
cluded by singing and prayer. Immediately after- 
wards, the ministers retired to the vestry, and 
signed a document on parchment for each of the 
missionaries, certifying that they had assisted in 
their ordination. This certificate was subscribed 
by no less than seven ordained clergymen from 
the United States of America, and among them 
three of the members of the American Board of 
Commissioners for Foreign Missions. Mr. Homes 



72 PARIS. 

is expected to leave Paris in a few months for 
Constantinople. He is an amiable and respectable 
young man, and his heart seems to be devoted to 
his work. 



CHAPTER V. 



LONDON. 



Having spent a month in Paris, to gratify my 
family with a sight of its many interesting objects 
of curiosity, I left it on the 28th of April, being 
anxious to reach London in season to attend 
the approaching Anniversaries of the Religious 
and Benevolent Institutions in that metropolis in 
the month of May. We travelled in the Diligence 
as far as Calais, where we arrived on the evening 
of the 29th. We took our departure in the 
steam-boat for London the next day. After a 
rough and uncomfortable passage, we landed, early 
in the morning of the 1st of May, near the cus- 
tom-house, on the river Thames, and, in a few 
hours, were quietly established in the Adelphi 
Hotel, in the Strand. 

My first visit was to my early and valued friends 
6 



74 LONDON. 

at Islington, by whom I was received with the 
utmost cordiality. I cannot be sufficiently grateful 
for having been permitted thus to renew a friend- 
ship of nearly thirty years' standing. Many and 
interesting were the associations with the scenes 
of my youth, which crowded upon my recollection. 
It was in this neighborhood, in a chapel then 
occupied by the Rev. Mr. Lewis's congregation, 
that I preached my first sermon, in June 1 806, on 
a week-day evening; and with their highly es- 
teemed and beloved pastor, it has been my privi- 
lege to maintain an uninterrupted correspondence 
from that day to this. No one, but those who have 
been placed in similar circumstances, can conceive 
of the pleasure 1 enjoyed in taking once more by 
the hand those old and valued friends. It was a 
satisfaction that can be exceeded only by the 
pleasure of seeing them again in that world, where 
the joy of meeting will not be embittered by the 
prospect of separation. Having made an arrange- 
ment to spend the Sabbath with them, and once 
more to sit down together at the same sacramental 
table, I returned to my family at the Adelphi. 

The next day, I called at the rooms of the 
Wesley an Missionary Society, in Hatton Garden, 
and delivered my commission from the American 
Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, to 



LONDON. 75 

attend their approaching anniversary. — Dr. Spring 
and myself were appointed by the Board, to attend 
the meetings of the different missionary societies 
in England and on the Continent. As the anniver- 
sary of the Paris Missionary Society did not take 
place until the last day of April, it was impracti- 
cable to attend it, and to be present at the meeting 
of the Wesleyan Missionary Society on the morn- 
ing of the first Monday in May, without travelling 
on the Sabbath. It was accordingly agreed 
between us, that Dr. Spring should remain to 
attend the Paris Society, while I should proceed, 
a few days before him, to be present at the Wes- 
leyan anniversary. I was received by the sec- 
retaries, and other members of the committee of 
the Society, with great kindness, and was invited 
to attend and address the meeting on Monday. I 
was also desired to preach in one of their chapels 
on the Sabbath, but my engagement to spend the 
day at Islington, prevented me from acceding to 
their request. 

From Hatton Garden I proceeded to Hackney, 
to call upon Dr. Reed, who resides in that pleasant 
suburb, at a considerable distance from his place 
of worship. The facilities of transportation from 
one part of this immense capital to another, by 
omnibuses, coaches, cabs, and flys, are so great, 



76 LONDON. 

that the distance seems almost annihilated. The 
expense attending these conveyances is exceedingly 
moderate, as for a single sixpence you can trans- 
port yourself from one end of London to another, 
a distance of several miles. 

Both Dr. and Mrs. Reed were absent when I 
reached their dwelling, but I made myself quite 
at home, and awaited their arrival. In about an 
hour Dr. Reed returned, accompanied by my 
friend and colleague, the Rev. Dr. Humphrey, 
who had just arrived from the United States by 
the way of Liverpool. The interview was doubly 
pleasant, as I had the satisfaction of greeting, with 
one hand, a delegate from England to America, 
and, with the other, a delegate from America to 
England. Mrs. Reed soon came in, and welcomed 
Dr. Humphrey and myself to their hospitable 
dwelling. / 

It will be gratifying to the numerous friends of 
Drs. Reed and Matheson, in America, to know, 
that they are both of them favored with com- 
panions in life, of superior intellect, literary ac- 
complishments, devoted piety, and most amiable 
manners. Of Mrs. Matheson, I shall have occa- 
sion to speak in another place. Mrs. Reed unites, 
with a peculiar sensitiveness to every thing that 
relates to the reputation and usefulness of her 



LONDON. 77 

husband, a remarkable adaptedness to assist him 
in all his plans for promoting the interests of reli- 
gion among his people, especially among those of 
her own sex. She has taken a very active part 
in the formation of Maternal Associations, both in 
her own and in other congregations in London; 
and Mrs. C. found her a most affectionate friend, 
with whom she has taken sweet counsel, and 
concerted many plans for the promotion of that 
religion which is most dear to them both. After 
having taken dinner with these esteemed friends, 
I returned to the city, and rejoined my family at 
the Adelphi. 

The next day was the Sabbath of the Lord, 
and it was to me one of peculiar interest. I 
was, at length, in a land of Sabbaths ; for the 
Sabbath, though not so well observed in London 
as in some other parts of the kingdom, and in our 
own country, is still regarded with the strictest 
decorum and propriety, when compared with its 
observance on the Continent. The streets of that 
immense capital, particularly those leading through 
the great thoroughfare of the city, by the Strand, 
Fleet Street, and Cheapside, which, during the 
week, are so crowded as to render it difficult and 
tedious to thread your way through them, are, on a 
Sabbath morning, as still and quiet as a walk in 



78 LONDON. 

the country. All the shops are closed, except 
the apothecaries', and now and then a window 
half shut, containing pastry, ginger beer, and soda 
water. 

We proceeded from our lodgings to Islington, 
where we arrived just as the service was com- 
mencing at Union Chapel. This place of wor- 
ship, which was erected in 1806, for Mr. Lewis's 
congregation, principally through the efforts and 
liberality of the late Robert Cowie, Esq., was in- 
tended to unite the Evangelical part of the Epis- 
copal Church and the Independent Congregational 
Dissenters, and hence it was called Union Chapel. 
In the morning, the church prayers are read, 
and in the evening, the service is conducted after 
the manner of the Dissenters. There seemed to 
be a reason for this arrangement, when the gospel 
was not preached in the parish church; but now 
that the parish church, and several other churches 
and chapels of the establishment, which have been 
erected within the bounds of this large parish, are, 
I believe, without exception, supplied with an 
evangelical clergy, it seems the less necessary to 
maintain the Episcopal service at Union Chapel, 
and I think that the time is not far distant, when 
this service will be dispensed with, and the chapel 
become a regular Dissenting place of worship. 



LONDON. 79 

After the prayers were read by a person (not 
an ordained clergyman) appointed for that purpose, 
and clothed with the gown and surplice, the Rev. 
Mr. Lewis ascended the pulpit, and delivered an 
excellent discourse, from 1 John iv. 16 — God is 
love — occasioned by the death of one of his con- 
gregation, Mrs. B. 

The custom of preaching funeral sermons is 
far more common in England than it is with 
us ; indeed, it may be said to be universal 
among the Dissenters. There is much to be 
said, both for and against this practice. It tends 
to increase the interest between a pastor and 
his flock, and to afford him suitable opportunities 
for addressing them, in seasons when affliction 
maketh the heart soft, and the providence of God 
invites to serious and reflective meditation. On 
the other hand, there are great temptations to con- 
cealment, dissimulation and flattery, as well as 
great danger of giving umbrage and offence to 
those who may think their departed friends neg- 
lected. In this instance, however, the preacher, 
while he bore testimony to the excellencies of the 
deceased, did not fail to point out the defects 
which marred the beauty of her character ; and I 
was told by those who were well acquainted with 
the peculiarities of Mrs. B., that the portraiture 



80 LONDON. 

was remarkably faithful, and the delineations sin- 
gularly graphic and accurate. 

After the public exercises, the sacrament of the 
Lord's Supper was administered by the pastor, 
first to a very few, after the manner of the church 
of England, and then to a much larger number, 
after the customary mode of the Dissenters. In 
this last service it was my privilege, after a long 
and painful suspension of the enjoyment of this 
holy ordinance, to participate, and to address my 
fellow communicants on the unspeakable privileges 
and blessings of our common faith. It was, indeed, 
truly refreshing and delightful to sit down, side by 
side, with members of my own family, and with 
the friends of my youth in a far distant land, to 
commemorate the dying love of that divine Sa- 
viour, who shed his precious blood for sinners on 
both sides of the Atlantic and in all parts of the 
world. 

We spent the remainder of the day with Mr. R. 
G. Steell and his amiable family, who were among 
my earliest, and have been among my most con- 
stant friends in England, and returned to London 
in season to attend an evening service in Surrey 
Chapel, and to hear an excellent sermon from the 
Rev. Mr. James of Birmingham. 

Mr. James is one of the most esteemed and 



LONDON. 81 

popular ministers among the independent Dissen- 
ters. He is favorably known in our country as 
the author of several excellent practical religious 
treatises. As a preacher, he is plain and forcible, 
and his style of preaching appeared to me to be 
formed more after the American model, than that 
of any preacher I heard in England. His sermon 
was confined to one point, enforced by direct 
and pungent appeals to the conscience and heart. 
The proposition which he attempted to illustrate 
and enforce was, that religion was the great 
business of life, and of this he never lost sight 
himself, nor suffered his hearers to lose sight 
through the whole of his discourse. Thus passed 
our first Sabbath in England, and though, like 
every other Sabbath, it might have been better 
improved, it was spent more to my own satis- 
faction, and I trust edification, than any other 
Sabbath since we left our native country. 

On Monday morning I commenced the discharge 
of my official duties ; and attended as a delegate 
from the American Board of Commissioners for 
Foreign Missions, the anniversary of the Wesleyan 
Missionary Society. 

Exeter Hall in the Strand, a large and com- 
modious building, erected within a few years past 
for the purpose of accommodating the most im- 



82 LONDON. 

portant of the religious and benevolent societies 
of the Metropolis, and which will contain four 
thousand persons, was crowded to excess at an 
early hour. The platform was filled with min- 
isters and man} 7- respectable laymen of different 
denominations, and the chair was taken at 11, 
A. M., by John Hardy, Esq. M. P. After prayer 
by one of the ministers present, the meeting was 
addressed in an animated manner by the chairman, 
and extracts from the Report were communicated 
by one of the secretaries, the Rev. Dr. Bunting, 
who was received by the audience with reiterated 
applause. The report contained an interesting 
account of the Society's operations in different 
parts of the world. Its acceptance was moved by 
the Rev. John Clayton, Jr., in an interesting 
speech. Several very animated addresses followed, 
in which allusion was made to some particular 
trials to which the Wesleyan denomination had 
been called, in the northern part of the kingdom, 
during the past year. These allusions awakened, 
to a very great degree, the sympathy of the audi- 
ence, and called forth repeated bursts of applause, 
which rendered some parts of the meeting almost 
tumultuous. Reference was made in the Report, 
and in several of the speeches, to the subject of 
slavery, and I was happy in the opportunity, 



LONDON. 83 

afforded me by my introduction to the meeting, 
(which was very politely done by Dr. Bunting, 
who read in a very loud and distinct voice my 
commission from the American Board,) in express- 
ing my sentiments on that subject, and in assuring 
the audience of my abhorrence of slavery, and my 
earnest desires and prayers for its speedy abolition. 
At the same time, 1 adverted to the difficulties 
with which the subject was surrounded in my own 
country, and to our need of that wisdom which 
cometh from above, a which is first pure, then 
peaceable, gentle, easy to be intreated, full of mercy 
and of good fruits, without partiality and with- 
out hypocrisy." Several other speakers addressed 
the meeting, and among them the Rev. John 
Williams, one of the missionaries of the London 
Missionary Society in the South Seas, who on 
this, and several other occasions, rendered the 
anniversary meetings exceedingly interesting. 

It was truly delightful to witness the Christian 
union between the friends of the Redeemer of 
different denominations, which these interesting 
seasons served to elicit. Evangelical Churchmen 
and Dissenters — Methodists and Independents, 
and various other Christian denominations, meet 
together on these halcyon days of the church, 
and, forgetting, for a while, their minor differences, 



84 LONDON. 

unite in promoting the cause of their common 
Christianity. 

On the next day, (Tuesday, May 5th,) the 
Church Missionary Society held its anniversary in 
Exeter Hall. Dr. Spring, who had arrived the 
evening before from Paris, accompanied me, at an 
early hour, to the committee room of the Society, 
where we delivered our credentials as delegates < 
from the American Board. We were told by 
some of our Dissenting brethren, that we should 
not be invited to speak at this meeting, as we 
were not churchmen, but we could not believe it, 
as, whatever might be the prejudices existing in 
this Society against Dissenters from the established 
church in England, we imagined that they could 
not extend to the Presbyterian and Congregational 
churches of our own country, much less to regularly 
commissioned delegates from the American Board. 
But it was even so. Our commissions were read 
in the committee room, but no other notice of us, 
or of the Society we had the honor to represent. 
We were suffered to sit in silence on the platform, 
and to listen to several addresses from Noblemen, 
and Bishops and other dignitaries of the church of 
England. 

The Bishops of Chester, and of Litchfield and 
Coventry, whom I heard with great pleasure, not 



LONDON. 85 

only on this occasion, but all other times during 
the season of anniversaries, are excellent men, 
decidedly evangelical, and eminently devoted to 
the cause of missions. 

We had the opportunity also of hearing on this 
occasion, one of our own countrymen, Bishop 
Mcllvaine, of Ohio, who has been for some 
months past in this country on an agency for 
Kenyon college. As he did not lie under the ban 
of dissent from the rites and ceremonies of the 
mother church, he was permitted to address the 
audience, and was received with loud applause. 
He was, as usual, eloquent and interesting ; but I 
should have been better pleased, had he been less 
fulsome in lauding the Church of England, its 
universities and its sixteen thousand clergy, many 
of whom he must have well known are far re- 
moved from that evangelical doctrine and consist- 
ent practice, for which he, himself, is so justly 
distinguished. The Bishop, I understand, received 
much polite attention, and gained much pecuniary 
aid for the object of his mission, from the members 
of the established church ; and it is not surprising, 
that, from his kind and benevolent feelings, he 
should have been led, on this occasion, to have 
said some things which appeared to me like ex- 
travagant and unmerited praise. 



86 LONDON. 

The Earl of Galway, the Marquis of Chol- 
mondley, Archdeacon Corrie, and others, succes- 
sively addressed the meeting ; and the Society's 
missionary, the Rev. Mr. Yates, (whose appearance 
was the most perfect beau ideal of a missionary I 
ever beheld,) gave a cheering view of the New 
Zealand mission, and read several interesting 
letters from the natives. 

The next religious anniversary which it was my 
privilege to attend, was that of the British and 
Foreign Bible Society, which may be said, without 
any disparagement to other institutions, to be the 
first and best society in the world. Exeter Hall 
was overflowing at an early hour on Wednesday 
morning. Several of our friends called to accom- 
pany us to the meeting, which was opened by a 
short speech from Lord Bexley, the venerable 
President of the Society. The annual report 
was then read by the secretary, Rev. Mr. Bran- 
don. Its acceptance was moved by Lord Teign- 
mouth, the son of the first president of the 
Society, and seconded by the excellent Bishop of 
Litchfield and Coventry, who remarked, ' that in 
whatever cares and duties and anxieties we might 
have been thrown from our connection with the 
world around us, here we breathe freely. He had 
always found such an atmosphere tranquillizing to 



LONDON. 87 

his own mind, and dispersing the clouds that 
worldly influence had gathered around it.' 

Bishop Mcllvaine then expressed his congratu- 
lations upon the harmony with which Christians 
unite on such an occasion as the present. f The 
journey to heaven,' said he, ' is too short to allow 
time for falling out by the way. The cry for the 
bread of life, too clamorous to dispute in what 
baskets it shall be borne to the perishing. Now 
was the time for action. He would never speak 
of what the church had achieved, if its tendency 
was to relax exertion — if it had done but little, 
that little should be the motive for still greater 
efforts.' 

Archdeacon Corrie, (the Bishop elect of Ma- 
dras,) recently from Bengal, said, 'that when he 
first went to India, the first Bible he gave was 
regarded with surprise and doubt ; now it was 
read with gladness, and many were distributed. 
He mentioned a poor boy, who was laid in his 
weakness on the banks of the Ganges. He was 
heard by some one calling on the name of Jesus ; 
he was reproved for so doing, and told to call 
upon one of the Hindoo deities. He replied, 
Jesus is the only God, who can help me. You 
may call upon whom you will, but I will call upon 
Jesus.' 



88 LONDON. 

Dr. Spring then addressed the meeting, as a 
delegate from the American Bible Society. He 
felt oppressed with the presence of such a mass 
of human beings, and closed a short and impressive 
speech, by a solemn and affecting allusion to the 
well known anecdote of Xerxes and his army. 
He was followed by the Rev. John Liefchild, one 
of the most popular Dissenting ministers in London, 
who, in a strain of animating and powerful elo- 
quence, called forth reiterated bursts of applause. 
'He spoke of the Society in its infancy, as cast 
like Moses on the waters, doubtful whether it 
would sink or swim, but like the great Leader of 
Israel, it was raised to royal patronage and power, 
and was now a mighty ark, going forth upon a sea 
which communicated with the rivers to the end of 
the earth. If it is pleasant,' said he, 'to watch 
the seedling springing into a tree, is it not de- 
lightful to behold that tree spreading forth its 
branches, and seeming to invite the whole earth 
to repose under its shadow? Thus has this So- 
ciety risen, expanded and enlarged under the 
fostering care of Heaven, and we may see written 
upon it as with a sunbeam, "I the Lord do keep 
it; I will water it every moment, lest any hurt it; 
I will keep it night and day." He saw before 
him an assembly of different denominations, rally- 



LONDON. 89 

ing round the Bible, as the standard of their hopes, 
and as they advanced in their single purpose of 
conveying the Bible to all nations, so would they 
lose sight of their minor differences, and if their 
heads were not large enough to receive all each 
other's notions, their hearts would embrace, in 
healVenly charity, the whole family of man.' 

Mr. Liefchild is certainly an interesting and 
powerful speaker. He possesses great confidence 
in himself, and a happy talent of winning applause, 
by arranging and closing his sentences or para- 
graphs by some striking expression, which so 
readily elicits the Hear, Hear, Hear, and the 
thundering burst of applause from a British audi- 
ence. On being announced, he steps forward, 
hat in hand, to the front of the platform, and is 
received with successive cheers, which are con- 
tinued, at very short intervals, to the close of his 
harangue. His eloquence is a very good speci- 
men of English declamation on a platform. I was 
often led to contrast the smart and ready and fluent 
manner of the English, with the calm and quiet 
and unimpassioned manner of the New England 
orator. The speeches of the one, are better 
adapted to produce immediate effect, while those 
of the other, perhaps, tend to make a more en- 
during impression. 
7 



90 LONDON. 

Addresses were delivered at this meeting by 
the missionaries, Rev. Mr. Yates and the Rev. 
Mr. Williams, who related many interesting anec- 
dotes respecting the natives of New Zealand and 
the South Sea Islands. The meeting was, upon 
the whole, an interesting one ; though it was said 
by some, who had attended on previous occasions, 
that it suffered in comparison with those of pre- 
ceding years. 

On Thursday evening, I attended the anniver- 
sary of the Sunday School Union, Thomas 
Challis, Esq., took the chair, and addressed the 
meeting at considerable length. It was a mistake, 
which I frequently observed in attending the 
English anniversaries, for the chairman to occupy 
too much time in his preliminary remarks, which 
often extended into a speech of more than half an 
hour. The audience, however respectable the 
chairman may be, become impatient to hear other 
speakers, and their impatience is not lessened by 
the long report which immediately succeeds the 
chairman's remarks. The report on this occasion, 
however, was not unreasonably long. Its accep- 
tance was moved in an interesting speech by Pro- 
fessor Vaughan, of the London University. He 
was followed by several animated speakers, who 
related many anecdotes respecting Sabbath school 



LONDON. 91 

children. Among them was one, mentioned by 
the Rev. Henry Townley, < of two friends who 
were conversing together, when one of them re- 
marked that there was nothing he should so much 
like as to travel into distant countries. The other 
replied that he had no desire to extend his travels 
abroad, but he could wish for time and means to 
visit every village in his native country; and, in 
view of the moral ruin and desolation which sin 
had wrought, he should love to plant in every one 
of them a Sabbath school, and gather around him 
a little company to be educated for heaven. The 
pious manner in which these sentiments were ex- 
pressed, so wrought upon the mind of his friend 
as to become the means of his conversion, and he 
is now a faithful laborer in Sabbath schools.' 

The Rev. John Williams, from the South Seas, 
added much interest to this and other meetings 
which he addressed. He commenced with re- 
marking that he had the pleasure of informing the 
audience that there was a Sabbath school con- 
nected with every missionary station in the islands 
where he had been laboring. Before Christianity 
had been introduced, it had been almost the uni- 
versal practice for parents to destroy their children 
at a very early age. Now, a different aspect, 
indeed, is given to the islands. He gave an ac- 



92 LONDON. 

count of a Sunday school anniversary that took 
place just before he left the islands. The 
mothers, now under the mild influence of Chris- 
tianity, assisted their children in preparing suitable 
dresses for the occasion, and seemed to take great 
pleasure in clothing them in the European style, 
and adorning them with such simple ornaments as 
were becoming and proper. The children were 
furnished with white flags, made of cloth, com- 
posed of the inner covering of the cocoa-nut, and 
on these flags they had written such sentences as 
these — " Suffer little children to come unto me 
and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of 
Heaven " — " We bless God for putting it into the 
hearts of the English to send us the Bible," Sic.&c. 
These flags were elevated here and there in the 
procession which they formed, and which con- 
sisted of several hundred children with their 
teachers. Thus they proceeded till they came to 
the chapel, and there, in a very quiet and orderly 
manner, were seated. The exercises commenced 
with singing a hymn, in which they all joined, 
their parents surrounding them in the distance. 
In the midst of the exercises, a moan was heard 
in the assembly. It proceeded from mothers, 
whom their own hands had rendered childless, and 
who in the bitterness of their souls, were exclaim- 



LONDON. 93 

ing — l O that we could have known that such a 
day as this was coming ! O, our dear children — 
our murdered children ! ' An old man of seventy 
rose and said, I must speak, I must speak — and 
the tears flowed fast as he said, ' Blessed be God 
for such a day as this — O that it had come before, 
and then I should not have stood before you as I 
do now, childless : — but O, brother, said he to a 
native that stood by, you saw me do it, and did 
not stay my hand, — you saw me murder one after 
another of my nineteen children, and did not cry 
forbear ! But we knew not the gospel.' — Mr. 
Williams said it was a most affecting spectacle. 
He mentioned an interesting circumstance of a 
Sabbath school teacher. ' About fifteen years ago, 
a native had married a young female of higher 
rank than himself. A child was born, and the 
mother determined to sacrifice it at once. This 
was effected. A second was born, and she cast it 
from her in the same way. The third child was 
a daughter, which she gave to the father with an 
injunction to destroy it immediately. The father's 
heart yearned over his offspring. He took it in a 
canoe to another island, where his brother and 
sister resided. Instead of drowning it, he com- 
mitted it to their care, and returned, telling his 
wife that he had complied with her request. Ten 



94 LONDON. 

years had elapsed, and in the mean while the 
gospel had reached the dwelling of the lonely 
parents. When the anniversary, above referred 
to, occurred, the mother, who had thus sacrificed, 
as she thought, all her children, was present, be- 
wailing her desolate situation, and saying — O that 
I had spared my children ! Her husband, who 
was also present, approached her saying, You 
have yet one left. Nothing could exceed her joy 
and gratitude. She could hardly wait till a canoe 
could be procured to convey her to her child, and 
in beholding her young daughter, in form and 
feature like herself, she pressed her to her bosom, 
brought her home, and placed her in the course of 
Christian instruction — and this young person is 
now a pious and able teacher of a Sabbath school ! ' 

Sir Andrew Agnew, M. P. (the persevering ad- 
vocate of the Sabbath reformation,) Rev. Mr. 
Burnet, Rev. Mr. Dunn, and our countryman, Mr. 
Baird, (well known as the successful -agent of the 
American Sunday School Union,) addressed the 
meeting. 

In consequence of the overflowing attendance 
in the Hall, another ' meeting was simultaneously 
held in a large room below, where the Rev. Dr. 
Morrison presided with great ability, and my col- 



LONDON. 95 

league, Dr. Humphrey, gave an interesting account 
of the Sabbath school cause in the United States. 

The continued attendance on anniversary meet- 
ings was occasionally relieved by the hospitality of 
our Christian friends, who were assiduous in their 
attentions, and did all in their power to render our 
visit both pleasant and profitable. Agreeably to 
previous invitation, I dined on Saturday with Dr. 
Reed, in company with my colleagues in the dep- 
utation, and several highly esteemed friends ; 
among them were Dr. Burder, Rev. Mr. Collison 
and Professor Tholuck. Professor Tholuck gave 
us much valuable information respecting the pro- 
gress of evangelical religion in Germany. Much 
interesting conversation took place respecting the 
state of religion in our respective countries. 
Among other topics, the subject of the indiscrimi- 
nate baptism of infants was introduced. The 
Evangelical Dissenters do not, in general, like the 
Orthodox Congregationalists of New England, re- 
quire that one of the parents should be a member 
of the church, in order to confer the privilege of 
baptism upon their children, — but baptize the 
children of their congregation generally, who 
having themselves been baptized in infancy sustain 
a correct moral character. There are some, 
however, who practise on the strict plan, as it is 



96 LONDON. 

sometimes called with us, and baptize none but 
the children of professed believers, or those who 
are members in full communion with the church. 
It is much to be desired that this subject should 
receive more attention from our dissenting brethren. 
The history of New England evidently shows, 
that the great Head of the church has set his seal 
to the discriminate practice, by the effusions of his 
Spirit upon those churches, where it has been 
strictly maintained. This practice serves to draw 
the line more distinctly between the church and 
the world, and to lead believers to realize and 
to prize the blessings they enjoy as a peculiar 
people, and the world to feel, that, as long as they 
remain unreconciled to God, they can have no 
part nor lot in the privileges of the gospel. 

Agreeably to a previous engagement, I went to 
Hackney, on Sabbath morning May the 10th, to 
preach for my old and much esteemed friend, the 
Rev. Dr. H. F. Burder. He is the successor of 
the Rev. Samuel Palmer, with whom it was my 
privilege to have been acquainted nearly thirty 
years ago, and for whom I frequently preached at 
that period. The congregation is much increased, 
and the chapel has been enlarged since that time. 
I was received with the utmost kindness by Dr. 
Burder and his excellent family. They live at a 



LONDON. 97 

very short distance from their place of worship, 
and are surrounded by every thing that can con- 
tribute to their comfort and happiness. I know of 
no minister in London and the vicinity, more de- 
lightfully situated than Dr. Burder. Possessed of 
an ample fortune, and enjoying the esteem of his 
brethren and the affection of his people, with an 
understanding remarkably sound and judicious, a 
mind well furnished with classical and theological 
learning, a disposition peculiarly amiable, and 
ardent and unaffected piety, and surrounded by an 
estimable and affectionate family, he appears to 
possess as much happiness as usually falls to the 
lot of man. I preached for him in the morning, 
and, after service, was introduced to two of the 
principal members of his church, Mr. Morley 
and Mr. Charles, from whom and their families 
we afterwards received much hospitality and kind 
attention. My friend and colleague, Dr. Hum- 
phrey, who was at the time a guest of Dr. 
Burder's, preached in the afternoon, and I re- 
mained until evening, that I might have the 
opportunity of bearing Dr. Burder, who delivered 
a sermon well adapted to the approaching services 
of the Missionary Society. 

On Monday, the British and Foreign School 
Society held its anniversary in Exeter Hall. It 



98 LONDON. 

was announced in the public prints that Lord 
John Russel would preside on the occasion, and 
take the chair at 12 o'clock. The meeting was 
crowded to excess ; but at the appointed time, the 
audience were informed that his lordship was pre- 
vented by the pressure of official engagehients 
from being present, and that Lord Brougham 
would take the chair. The noble chairman was 
received with enthusiastic and unbounded applause, 
and delivered a most eloquent and powerful ad- 
dress. I was exceedingly gratified in having so 
good an opportunity of hearing the ex-chancellor 
of Great Britain. I heard him ten years ago at a 
public dinner in Edinburgh, but I was much more 
pleased with him on the present occasion. His 
views on the subject of education were sound and 
liberal, his language choice and eloquent, and his 
utterance clear and flowing. The report was read 
by the Secretary, the Rev. Mr. Dunn, and was 
supported and followed by a number of speeches, 
which were thrown into comparative obscurity by 
the superior effulgence of the chairman. Lord 
Brougham was in fact the lion of the occasion, and 
little of the meeting was remembered except what 
related to him. 

In the evening, the Rev. Dr. Spring preached 
at the Rev. Mr. Binney's Chapel, Weigh House, 



LONDON. 99 

East Cheap, before the Congregational Union of 
England and Wales. A large number of Dissent- 
ing ministers were present, and together with a 
very respectable congregation, listened to the im- 
pressive eloquence of the speaker. 

Dr. Spring's element is the pulpit. Few men in 
our own country, or in any other, can be compared 
with him in solemnity of manner and weight of 
matter. I was gratified to find that he was so 
highly and justly appreciated by a British audi- 
ence. He preached repeatedly to great accept- 
ance, and several of his sermons were, without 
ceremony, transferred by attendant stenographers 
into a weekly periodical, called The Pulpit. 
His text on this occasion was in Matt. xiii. 38. 
The field is the world. It was a missionary ser- 
mon, and though not particularly appropriate to 
the object of the Union, was well adapted to the 
services of the missionary week. 

Notice was given, at the close of the exercises, 
that the annual meeting of the Congregational 
Union would take place the next day at the Con- 
gregational Library, Moorfields. I accordingly 
attended with my brethren, the Rev. Drs. Spring 
and Humphrey, early on Tuesday morning. 
The Rev. T. W. Bull, of Newport Pagnel, took 
the chair at 10 o'clock, and opened the meeting 



100 LONDON. 

with prayer and a few pertinent remarks. After 
some preliminary business by the secretaries, we 
delivered our credentials as Delegates from the 
American churches, and were received in the 
most respectful and cordial manner by the meet- 
ing, through the chairman. After our introduc- 
tion to the meeting, a resolution was offered by 
Dr. Reed, and seconded by Dr. Matheson, ex- 
pressive of the satisfaction of the meeting in our 
reception as representatives of the transatlantic 
churches, and was sustained with great and affect- 
ing interest. 

It devolved on me to offer our acknowledg- 
ments for the fraternal and very gratifying wel- 
come we had received — to express the satisfaction 
of the General Association of Massachusetts, in 
the intercourse which was now established be- 
tween them and the Congregational Union of 
England and Wales, which had been for some 
time the subject of mutual correspondence — and 
to present the sincere and affectionate congratula- 
tions of my constituents, to the ministers and 
churches represented on this occasion. 

After an address of about twenty minutes, 
which was very kindly received, I was followed 
by Dr. Spring. He gave an interesting account 
of the state of religion within the bounds of the 



LONDON. 101 

Presbyterian church, and dwelt particularly on 
the subject of revivals, — distinguishing between 
those that were genuine, and those that were 
spurious. While he gratefully acknowledged the 
signal blessings which the American churches 
derived from revivals of religion, he did not con- 
ceal the errors of doctrine which had crept in 
upon them, and the dangers to which they had 
been, and were now, peculiarly exposed. His re- 
marks were listened to with deep attention. 

Dr. Spring was succeeded by my colleague, Dr. 
Humphrey, who confined himself very much to a 
detailed account of the Temperance reformation 
in the United States. No one is more familiarly 
acquainted with this subject than Dr. Humphrey, 
and no one better qualified to advocate it. But 
it is to be deeply regretted that its importance is 
so little felt in Great Britain. There is a strange 
apathy on this subject among our dissenting 
brethren. Very few of them appear to be con- 
nected with Temperance societies themselves, or 
to encourage them in their congregations. The 
British and Foreign Temperance Society, which I 
shall have occasion to mention more particularly 
in another place, appears to be supported princi- 
pally by members of the Established Church, and 
by the Society of Friends. At the anniversary of 



102 LONDON. 

the Society, where Christians of all denominations 
ought to be found, I saw but one or two of those 
excellent dissenting ministers whom it was my 
privilege to meet at the Congregational Union and 
on other occasions. 

I am persuaded that this neglect arises not from 
opposition to the Society, much less to the cause 
of temperance, but from inattention to the subject, 
and from a want of due consideration of the moral 
power which they possess, by their example, of 
checking the tide of intemperance and immorality 
which threatens to inundate the land. 

So much time was taken up by the American 
Deputation, that little remained for the transaction 
of the ordinary business of the meeting, and for 
receiving communications from the Delegates from 
Scotland and Ireland, who were present on the 
occasion. I was however much interested in the 
brief statements made by the Rev. Mr. Brown, a 
venerable minister from Ireland, and by Messrs. 
Wilkes and Cullen from Scotland, of the state of 
religion in their respective countries. 

Before the close of the meeting, (which con- 
tinued till late in the afternoon, and then adjourned 
to Friday morning,) I left it to attend a meeting 
of the Directors of the London Missionary Society, 
at their house in Austin Friars. I presented my 



LONDON. 103 

commission from the American Board of Com- 
missioners for Foreign Missions, and was received 
with great kindness and cordiality by the meeting, 
and affectionately addressed by the chairman, 
Thomas Challis, Esq. The secretaries, the Rev. 
Messrs. Ellis and Arundel, I had the pleasure of 
knowing personally. They are excellent and 
highly useful men, devoted to their work, and 
enjoying, in a great degree, the confidence of the 
religious public. This interview with the Direc- 
tors of the London Missionary Society, brought to 
my mind days and scenes long gone by, in which 
it was my privilege to enjoy the acquaintance and 
friendship of the early friends and founders of this 
noble institution. I looked in vain for those 
venerable and excellent men, Hardcastle, and 
Bogue, and George Burder, Rowland Hill and 
Matthew Wilks, Dr. Waugh, Mr. Piatt, John 
Townsend, and many others whom 1 once beheld 
filling those seats, in the midst of their days, and 
in the prime of their usefulness. — " Our fathers 
where are they ? and the prophets do they live 
forever ? " 

The course of the missionary services was to 
commence on the following day, and I was re- 
quested to offer the public prayer on the occasion 
in Surrey Chapel. Fatigued, though much inter- 



104 LONDON. 

ested with the labors and duties of the day, I re- 
turned to my family at our lodgings, in 28 Norfolk 
street, Strand, where we had removed from the 
Adelphi Hotel, and where we found ourselves 
comfortably established. 

On the morning of Wednesday, the 12th inst. 
we all proceeded to Surrey Chapel, to attend the 
first public services of the London Missionary 
Society. This spacious building, which forcibly 
brings to recollection the memory of that singular 
and excellent man, whose eccentricities were sanc- 
tified by the grace of God, and whose disinter- 
ested labors in behalf of the temporal and 
spiritual necessities of his fellow creatures, will 
never be forgotten, was filled at an early hour by 
the friends and patrons of the missionary enter- 
prise. The church service was first read by the 
person who usually officiates in the chapel, and 
the responses made by an aged clerk, who seems 
to be, in the oddity of his appearance and manner, 
the counterpart of his late pastor. Extempora- 
neous prayer was then offered, and a solid and 
judicious sermon was delivered by the Rev. Mr. 
Young, of Perth, in Scotland, from Psalm ex. 3. 
" Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy 
power." It was full of weighty and important 
matter, and evidently delivered memoriter, though 



LONDON. 105 

without the least hesitation. The services were 
closed with an appropriate prayer by the Rev. 
Mr. James of Birmingham. 

After public worship, we went to Newington, 
Butts, a distance of about two miles, where we 
dined and spent the day very pleasantly with Mr. 
Clement Sharp and his family, (relatives of es- 
teemed friends in our own congregation,) from 
whom we received, during our short residence in 
London, much kind attention. The weather in the 
evening being rainy and uncomfortable, we were 
prevented from hearing, as we expected, the Rev. 
John Blackburn, of Claremont Chapel, preach the 
second missionary sermon in the Tabernacle, 
Moorfields. Mr. Blackburn is one of the secreta- 
ries of the Congregational Union, and is highly 
esteemed for his talents, and his devotedness to 
the cause of civil and religious liberty. 

On Thursday, the public meeting for business 
of the London Missionary Society was held in 
Exeter Hall ; and it far exceeded in interest any 
meeting I had previously attended. I was gratified 
in finding the same honored individual, William A. 
Hankey, Esq., in the chair, who presided on a 
similar occasion when I had the satisfaction of 
being present ten years ago. 

After prayer by one of the ministers present, 
8 



106 LONDON. 

he introduced the business of the meeting by 
an affecting allusion to the founders of the So- 
ciety, all of whom, he remarked, excepting him- 
self and one aged brother on the platform, had 
been removed by death. He said, he seemed 
to be standing there between two generations, 
and he would erect a pillar and write upon it 
as a motto — " Not unto us, not unto us, but 
unto thy name, O Lord, be all the glory." 
The report, which was exceedingly interesting 
and satisfactory, was read by one of the secreta- 
ries, the Rev. Mr. Ellis. 

The Rev. George Clayton then addressed the 
meeting in a speech beautifully composed, and 
gracefully delivered. Mr. Clayton is the second 
of three brothers in the Christian ministry, all of 
whom are distinguished for their dignified and 
gentlemanly deportment, as well as for their pop- 
ularity as preachers, and their devotedness as 
Christian ministers. The Rev. John Clayton, Jr. 
the eldest brother, has been, for many years, the 
highly esteemed and useful pastor of an indepen- 
dent chapel in the Poultry. Mr. George Clayton 
has a flourishing and much attached congregation 
in Walworth in Surrey, in the immediate neigh- 
borhood of London. And the Rev. William 
Clayton, who was for several years pastor of a 



LONDON. 107 

church in the country, is, at present, the principal 
of the flourishing school for Dissenters at Mill Hill, 
a few miles distant from the city. The Rev. Mr. 
Clayton, Sen., now at the advanced age of more 
than eighty, some years since retired from the 
duties of the ministry, and, with his venerable 
consort, still more advanced in life than himself, 
survive to witness, with parental satisfaction, the 
increasing usefulness and success of their children. 

The Hon. and Rev. Baptiste Noel, was one of 
the speakers on this interesting occasion ; and, 
without any disparagement to any other speaker 
I heard in England, I can truly say, that, in sweet- 
ness of spirit, simplicity of manner, and enlarged 
views of Christian charity and benevolence, he 
was unrivalled. In his oratory he unites the pe- 
culiar excellence of the English and American 
character. He has the unction of the English, 
without its noisy vociferation ; and the decorum of 
the American, without its frigidity and tameness. 
He is gentle, yet warm ; mild, yet glowing ; 
quiet, yet stirring. I was so enchanted with the 
sweet and flowing strain of his eloquence, that I 
could have sat for hours without uhe consciousness 
of passing time. 

Mr. Noel is one of the most popular of the 
Evangelical clergy. He fills the pulpit in Bed- 



108 LONDON. 

ford-row Chapel, once occupied by the celebrated 
Richard Cecil. He entertains the kindest and 
most liberal feelings towards Dissenters from the 
established church ; and were it to depend upon 
him, the walls of separation, between the friends 
of the Redeemer, in and out of the establishment, 
would soon be demolished. As it is, his free and 
generous spirit will not long submit to be confined 
within the limits of high church jurisdiction, and 
it would not be very surprising, unless a more lib- 
eral policy should be adopted by the Bishops and 
clergy towards their dissenting brethren, that he 
should burst the trammels, by which he is sur- 
rounded, and become as independent in his eccle- 
siastical relations, as he is in heart and character. 

The Rev. William Reed, one of the Society's 
missionaries from Madras, Professor Tholuck, and 
Rev. Mr. Close from Cheltenham, (a clergyman 
of the established church of a kindred spirit with 
Mr. Noel,) successively addressed the meeting 
with much interest and effect. 

Our friend, and almost adopted countryman, 
Dr. Andrew Reed, rose, and was received with 
enthusiastic applause. In one continued stream of 
impassioned eloquence he alluded to his trans- 
atlantic tour, and from the example of American 
liberality, stimulated British Christians to greater 



LONDON. 109 

exertions. He closed a speech of some length, 
and of almost unrivalled beauty and interest, by- 
introducing the American Deputation to the notice 
and kind regards of the assembly. 

It devolved upon me, as a delegate from the 
American Board, to express the sense my col- 
leagues and myself entertained of the honor con- 
ferred upon us by this kind and respectful notice. 
The warm and reiterated expressions of welcome, 
with which I was received, were peculiarly grati- 
fying, as indications of the affectionate feelings, 
with which my beloved country, and the important 
interests I represented, were regarded by the re- 
spectable and numerous audience. 

The Rev. Mr. Knill, late of St. Petersburgh, 
and now a most successful agent of the London 
Missionary Society, succeeded me, and was re- 
ceived with the most lively enthusiasm by the 
assembly. There is something in the countenance 
and personal appearance of Mr. Knill that is strik- 
ingly interesting — something that carries convic- 
tion to every one that he is a man of great sim- 
plicity and godly sincerity. His speech was, like 
himself, plain and straight forward, and produced 
a manifest effect upon his audience. In compli- 
ance with his suggestion, a subscription was opened 
on the spot, for a special effort to send the gospel 



110 LONDON. 

to China. Within a few minutes about £500 
sterling was collected, some in gold, some in bank 
notes, and more in promissory payments on scraps 
of paper, handed up on the platform, with the 
amount subscribed, prefixed with the three vowels, 
i. o. u., (/ owe you,) and endorsed with the name 
of the subscriber. 

The propriety of this method of raising money, 
which it was stated was not uncommon at mis- 
sionary meetings in Manchester, and other places, 
was, in the opinion of many judicious individuals, 
very questionable, and I think will not be repeated. 
I confess, the influence on my own mind was not 
favorable. It tended to lessen the effect produced 
by the preceding exercises, and to convert into a 
mere pecuniary transaction, the business of a 
meeting, which ought to have a higher and nobler 
object. The unhappy influence of the measure 
was apparent in the unsuccessful attempt of the 
Rev. Mr. Williams, of the South Sea Mission, 
who was the last speaker, to regain the attention, 
and interest the feelings of the audience. 

A circumstance occurred at this meeting of an 
unpleasant nature. While the audience were 
uniting in singing the doxology, at the close of the 
exercises, some one, who had contrived to gain 
admission to the platform in the disguise of a gen- 



LONDON. HI 

tleman, availed himself of the opportunity, while 
the backs of the secretaries were turned upon the 
table, upon which stood the bag, containing the 
amount collected, to appropriate it to his own 
private use. The robbery was not discovered 
until after the assembly had separated. It proved 
to be less considerable than was at first appre- 
hended, as a greater part of the amount was in 
notes of i. o. u., which were faithfully redeemed, 
and in some instances paid with more than com- 
pound interest in an increased subscription. The 
ultimate loss, sustained by the Society, did not 
exceed thirty or forty pounds. 

After the meeting was over, we went home with 
the Rev. Dr. Bennett and his family, with whom 
we were previously engaged to dine. Dr. Ben- 
nett is favorably known to the public as a scholar 
and an author. He was, for some time, at the 
head of the theological academy in Rotherham in 
Yorkshire, and was associated with the late Dr. 
Bogue, in the publication of the History of Dis- 
senters. This work, together with his Life of 
Christ, in a series of practical lectures in three 
volumes, procured for him the Diploma of Doctor 
of Divinity from Yale college, in Connecticut. 
But Dr. Bennett is more particularly distinguished 
for his talents as a controversial writer. He is the 



112 LONDON. 

uncompromising advocate of civil and religious 
liberty, and enters very warmly into the agitating 
question of the present day, respecting church and 
state. As a writer, he is remarkably caustic and 
keen, and no one can expect to engage in contro- 
versy with him, without feeling the edge of his 
satire and the smartness of his wit. He has a re- 
spectable congregation, who appear to appreciate 
his talents as a preacher, and to regard him with 
affection in his pastoral character. 

We returned from his residence in the city road, 
in season to attend the missionary sermon in St. 
Bride's Church, Fleet street, by the Rev. Mr. 
Close of Cheltenham. The preacher, in conclud- 
ing his sermon, announced the daring robbery that 
had been committed in Exeter Hall, and availed 
himself of the circumstance to excite the sympathy 
of the audience. The consequence was, that a 
much larger sum than usual was collected to aid 
the funds of the London Missionary Society. 

On Friday morning, I attended an adjourned 
meeting of the Congregational Union of England 
and Wales. Resolutions were offered of thanks to 
Dr. Spring, for his sermon delivered on Monday 
evening ; and to present each of the Deputation 
with a copy of the Narrative of Drs. Reed and 
Matheson. These, and other resolutions were 



LONDON. 113 

supported by eloquent addresses from some of the 
most distinguished members of the body. Among 
them, Messrs. James of Birmingham, and Atkins of 
Southampton, Dr. Redford of Worcester, and Drs. 
Bennett, Fletcher, Morrison and H. F. Burder of 
London. The subject of a continued deputation 
to the American churches was discussed. It was 
thought, that it should not be more frequent than 
once in three years. 

A pastoral letter, which had been prepared by 
a committee chosen the preceding year, consisting 
of Rev. Mr. Kelley, Dr. Raffles and Rev. Mr. 
Carruthers, was submitted to the meeting. It was 
an admirable document, and reflected great credit 
on the author — the Rev. Mr. Kelley. 

It was proposed, that a public meeting should 
be held at the Rev. John Clayton's Chapel in the 
Poultry, to give an opportunity for the members 
of the churches and other friends to hear addres- 
ses from the American Deputation ; and Thurs- 
day evening, of the next week, was appointed for 
the purpose. 

The meeting closed rather abruptly, in conse- 
quence of the impatience manifested to hear the 
missionary sermon by Dr. Spring, the appointed 
time for which had nearly arrived. 

The annual meeting of the Congregational 



114 LONDON. 

Union of England and Wales is composed of such 
ministers, and members of independent churches, 
as may have been previously appointed, or may 
choose to attend. A book is kept at the door, 
where every one, who enters the room, enrols his 
name and place of residence. 

There is some want of order and system in 
doing business, which may be easily accounted for 
from the recent origin of the Union, and the inex- 
perience of its members. But time and experi- 
ence will correct the evil, and will lead to the 
adoption of a system of rules and orders, which 
will much facilitate the transaction of business, as 
well as greatly promote the economy of time. 

It was a rainy day ; and a number of the breth- 
ren with myself filled one of the omnibuses, which 
ply from one part of the city to another, and pro- 
ceeded, very sociably, on our way to Craven 
Chapel. 

Craven Chapel is a large and commodious 
edifice, which owes its existence to the pious 
liberality of Thomas Wilson, Esq. the well known 
Treasurer of Highbury College, and the munificent 
patron of many religious and benevolent institu- 
tions connected with the Dissenting interest. The 
pulpit of this chapel is, at present, filled by the 



LONDON. 115 

Rev. John Liefchild, whose popular talents have 
drawn around him a numerous congregation, and 
whose indefatigable labors have been greatly bles- 
sed in the conversion of souls. There has been, 
for some time past, more of the appearance of 
what would be called in America a revival of reli- 
gion in this place, than in any other congregation 
in London, unless it be that of the Rev. Dr. 
Reed, where, during his late absence, and since 
his return, a more than ordinary seriousness has 
prevailed, and an unusual number added to the 
communion of the church. 

A combination of circumstances rendered the 
attendance at Craven Chapel not so large as on 
the previous services of the missionary festival. 
It was an extra service, appointed for the purpose 
of hearing Dr. Spring. It was in a place where 
no anniversary sermon had ever been preached 
before. It was on a wet day, when many were 
prevented attending on account of the weather, 
and, more than all, it was held at the same hour 
with the great Anti- Slavery meeting at Exeter 
Hall, where the well known and far famed Daniel 
O'Connell, was expected to speak. Notwith- 
standing all these disadvantages, a respectable 
audience were gratified with an excellent sermon 
from Dr. Spring — from the words, " Thy will be 
done" 



1 16 LONDON. 

I thought it my duty, from respect to the 
Missionary Society, as well as from regard to 
the preacher, to attend the services at Craven 
Chapel, rather than the exciting meeting at 
Exeter Hall. 

I was thus spared the pain and mortification 1 
should otherwise have experienced in listening to 
the reproach cast upon my beloved country by the 
Irish orator, and the temptation I should undoubt- 
edly have felt, publicly, to have contradicted some 
of his statements. He should have known that the 
American States are independent sovereignties, 
each legislating for itself, — having its own laws 
and its own government, and that it was out of 
the power of the national government to interfere 
with those rights which the States had expressly 
reserved. He should have known, also, that all 
the New England, and some of the other States, 
had long abjured slavery, and held it in as utter 
detestation as himself; and not considered the 
whole country and its government responsible for 
the existence of an evil, which if the tears of 
thousands in our land could have washed away, 
would have long since been removed. 

This great mistake on the subject of American 
slavery was not confined to O'Connell, though 
more inexcusable in him, but appeared to be en- 



LONDON. 117 

tertained by numbers whom I heard speak and 
converse on the subject. My feelings, and those 
of my brethren, were frequently wounded by 
allusions to this subject, both in public and in 
private, and by the unqualified abuse which was 
heaped upon our country for the toleration of an 
evil, the existence of which no one could more 
sincerely lament than ourselves. 

That our national government is not wholly 
guiltless in this thing, I am constrained to ac- 
knowledge. While I would vindicate it from the 
sweeping and indiscriminate condemnation of 
O'Connell and others, I cannot defend it altogether 
from the charge of inconsistency. Something it 
certainly might do towards removing this dreadful 
evil. Although it has no control over the re- 
served rights of the several States, it is supposed 
to have a direct and special legislation over the 
District of Columbia. Let Congress then without 
delay, banish the slave dealer and the slave from 
the city of Washington, and let not the groans of 
slavery any longer mingle with congressional dec- 
lamations in favor of liberty and the rights of man. 

It is also deeply to be lamented, that in admit- 
ting new States into the Union, a bold stand was 
not taken on the subject of slavery. Had the 
restriction, which was proposed in the case of 



118 LONDON. 

Missouri in 1820, been adopted, the evil might 
have been checked in a great degree. On all 
future occasions it is to be hoped that a different 
policy will be pursued. The subject of slavery in 
the United States is one of momentous and fearful 
interest. I tremble, when I think of the possible 
consequences resulting to the integrity of the 
Union, and the peace and safety of the commu- 
nity, from the agitation of this question by indis- 
creet, but well-meaning men. If there ever was 
a subject that required sound judgment and dis- 
passionate action, it is this. The weapons of this 
warfare, (for a contest there must and will be,) 
like those of the gospel, should not be carnal but 
spiritual. It is by light and love, and not by 
intemperate zeal and fierce recrimination, that 
the victory is to be won. 

While I had to regret the misapprehensions en- 
tertained on the subject of American slavery by 
many whom I met in England, I was happy to 
know that there were those, who suitably appre- 
ciated the difficulties and embarrassments under 
which we labor in the removal of this acknow- 
ledged evil. 

The following remarks from the London Quar- 
terly, will commend themselves to those who have 
well considered this important subject* 



LONDON. 119 

" The difficulty in which the vast and increasing 
population of alien blood involves the government 
and legislature of America, is great and real ; 
and it little becomes Englishmen, aware, as we all 
are, by whose act a slave peasantry was first in- 
troduced into her territory, to assume a high and 
disdainful tone of language as to this subject. 
Least of all, is it either wise or decorous in us to 
assume such a tone at this particular time. Some 
obviously and absurdly cruel particulars may be 
criticised calmly to good purpose ; but let us not 
be too broad and rash in our censures. We have 
but yesterday emancipated our own West India 
slaves at an enormous cost, and the results of that 
experiment are still (to speak gently) extremely 
doubtful. Let us beware of incurring the sus- 
picion that we are willing to urge our example on 
the United States from motives not of philanthropy 
merely, but in part, at least, of mercantile calcu- 
lation ! " 

After the meeting at Craven Chapel, we re- 
paired to Highbury, to dine with Thomas Wilson, 
Esq. whom 1 have before mentioned as the mu- 
nificent patron of religious institutions among the 
Dissenters. His son, Mr. Joshua Wilson, inherits 
the same spirit, and is distinguished for his theo- 
logical and. antiquarian researches. From Mr. 



120 LONDON. 

Wilson's we went to Claremont Chapel to attend 
the missionary communion. The sacrament of 
the Lord's Supper is the concluding service in the 
missionary festival, and is administered on Friday 
evening, in six different places of worship in the 
metropolis, for the accommodation of the numbers 
who wish to attend. 

Claremont Chapel, in the neighborhood of 
Islington, is a neat place of worship, and enjoys 
the ministerial services of the Rev. Mr. Black- 
burn, one of the secretaries of the Congregational 
Union. On the present occasion Rev. Mr. Knill 
presided, and made a solemn address before the 
distribution of the elements. Several prayers 
were offered, and addresses were made by Dr. 
Matheson and myself. It was an unspeakable 
privilege to sit down at the table of the Lord with 
so many of the disciples of Jesus, and, among 
them, some of my old and valued friends in early 
life. 

On Saturday I attended the meeting of the So- 
ciety for the Protection of Religious Liberty, in 
the City of London Tavern, Bishopsgate street. 
This Society, though exceedingly necessary and 
important, is, more or less, political and controver- 
sial in its character. The meeting was crowded to 
excess. The chair was taken by Lord Brougham, 



LONDON. 121 

who delivered an animated and eloquent address, 
in which his desire to regain his popularity by 
securing the favor and support of the Dissenters, 
was very apparent. The case of a Mr. Childs, a 
respectable printer and publisher, who had been 
recently imprisoned for refusing to pay the church 
rates, added great interest to the occasion. In the 
course of the meeting Mr. O'Connell made his 
appearance, and was received with deafening ap- 
plause. His speech, which was certainly eloquent, 
abounded in turns of wit, and play upon words, 
which excited much laughter. Among the other 
speakers on this occasion, were Dr. Brown, the 
treasurer, and John Wilkes, Esq. the secretary of 
the Society, Rev. Dr. Morrison, Rev. Mr. Stowell, 
of Rotherham, one of the Professors of the London 
University, and Dr. Spring. Among the resolu- 
tions was one, expressive of the gratification of 
the meeting in the presence of the American 
Deputation. The meeting was exceedingly stirring 
and interesting, but too political and controversial 
to suit my taste and feelings. 

After the meeting was over, my brethren and 
myself dined with the secretary of the Society, 
John Wilkes, Esq. at his house in Finsbury 
Square, in company with Dr. Brown, the Rev. 
Dr. Reed, and several other friends. Mr. Wilkes, 
9 



122 LONDON. 

(the eldest son of the late eccentric Matthew 
Wilkes,) is a member of the British Parliament, 
and is distinguished for his efforts to protect the 
civil rights and religious liberties of the Dissenters. 

I returned to my family in Norfolk street, and 
was happy to spend a quiet Saturday evening, 
after the incessant attendance on religious anniver- 
saries during the week. 

Agreeably to previous engagements, I preached 
on Sabbath morning, May 17th, for my old and 
valued friend, Rev. Mr. Lewis of Islington, and 
in the evening, for Dr. Bennett in Silver Street 
Chapel, to large and attentive congregations. 

On Monday I had the pleasure of dining with 
the editor and conductors of the Evangelical 
Magazine, at their room in Messrs. Westley & 
Davis's bookstore, in Stationer's Court. Besides 
my American brethren, there were present, on 
this occasion, the Rev. Drs. Morrison, Reed, J. 
Fletcher, H. F. Burder and Henderson, and the 
Rev. Messrs. Collison and Lewis. 

Dr. Morrison has the principal charge of the 
Magazine as editor, and, as a scholar and theolo- 
gian, is well qualified for the undertaking. He 
possesses a strong and vigorous mind, with a warm 
and affectionate heart. In his opinions on the 
anti-slavery question, and on the great subjects 



LONDON. 123 

of ecclesiastical reform which now agitate this 
community, he is energetic and firm, and is pre- 
pared for strong and decisive measures. 

The Rev. Dr. Joseph Fletcher is one of the 
most amiable men and popular preachers in the 
city of London. The suavity of his manners, his 
rich and varied intellectual furniture, his warm 
and humble piety, and his pleasing address as a 
public speaker, render him the object of esteem 
and love to a large and respectable congregation, 
and to his numerous friends and admirers. He 
received his education at the University of Glas- 
gow, and reflects great credit on his alma mater. 

Rev. Dr. Henderson, formerly the laborious and 
successful missionary and agent of the Bible So- 
ciety in Russia, and now the highly esteemed 
tutor of Highbury College, and successor to Dr. 
Bogue in the theological chair, is a gentleman of 
pleasing manners and popular address. I regretted 
that the present was the only opportunity I had of 
enjoying the pleasure of his society. 

I was much gratified in renewing my acquaint- 
ance with my worthy and esteemed friend, the 
Rev. George Collison. "Time, which doth all 
things else impair," seems to have wrought little 
or no change in him. His head remains unsilvered, 
and his countenance hale and fresh as ever, and, 



124 LONDON. 

more than all, he continues the same amiable, 
consistent and excellent man that he was when I 
first had the pleasure of making his acquaintance. 
He is still employed in the arduous but delightful 
work of training young men for the ministry of 
reconciliation. Of Drs. Reed and Burder, and 
my long tried friend, the Rev. Mr. Lewis, 1 have 
already spoken, and cannot speak too highly. 

On Tuesday the 19th, the Anniversary of the 
British and Foreign Temperance Society was held 
in Exeter Hall. This meeting I had long antici- 
pated with much interest, not only from the impor- 
tance of its object, but from its connection with the 
parent institution, (if I may so call it,) in my 
native land. On other anniversaries, I felt that 
we were indebted to England for the first sugges- 
tions and movements in our religious and benevo- 
lent institutions, and I was always ready to ac- 
knowledge, with gratitude, the obligation to our 
father land ; but, on this occasion, 1 was about to 
attend the meeting of a society in Britain, that 
owed its existence to a most important and suc- 
cessful effort on the other side of the Atlantic; 
and I confess my bosom swelled with something 
like national pride and satisfaction. 

At an early hour, Dr. Humphrey and myself 
repaired to the committee room in Exeter Hall, 



LONDON. 125 

and presented our commissions as Delegates from 
the American Temperance Society. We were 
received with much cordiality by the officers of 
the Society, and were introduced to the patron 
and president, the Lord Bishop of London. He 
was dressed with great simplicity, without his 
wig, and distinguished only by a small black 
apron, (which, by the way, is more becoming 
in the other sex.) 

The meeting was a long time in collecting, and 
after it commenced, presented but a meagre ap- 
pearance, when compared with the dense and 
overflowing assemblies of preceding anniversaries. 

The Bishop of London introduced the business 
of the meeting with a short, but interesting speech, 
in which he alluded to the origin of the Society, 
and to the interest he had taken in it from its for- 
mation to the present day. He adverted to the 
opposition and difficulties it had to encounter, and 
exhorted the members of the Society to continued 
and persevering exertion. 

After the report was read by the secretary, Mr. 
John Capper, several animated addresses were 
made by Admiral Brenton, Messrs. Fleetwood and 
Buckingham, Members of Parliament, the Rev. 
Mr. Stowell, and the Hon. and Rev. Baptiste 
Noel, of the established church, Edward Parsons, 



126 LONDON. 

Esq.' of Leeds, Dr. Matheson and the American 
Deputation. 

Admiral Brenton, the venerable governor of 
Greenwich Hospital, bore his testimony to the 
good effected by the Temperance Society in that 
important institution. He stated that he had cir- 
culated the tracts of the Society among the mem- 
bers of the hospital, but in the first instance, not 
with any very sanguine hopes of success. He 
thought that, at the utmost, he should not be able 
to induce above fifty men to join the Society, and 
from the character of sailors and their long formed 
habits, he expected that more than one half of 
these would forfeit their engagement. But he 
was happy to say, that, from the month of No- 
vember, 1832, to that day, nearly 700 men had 
enrolled their names, as members of the Temper- 
ance Society. He remarked that for two years and 
a half, only thirty-seven of them had violated their 
pledge. 

He stated one fact, which illustrates the perni- 
cious influence exerted by the retailers of ardent 
spirits in England, as well as among us. It 
was in relation to a description of people on the 
banks of the Thames, called coal- whip pers y who 
were absolutely forced into habits of intemperance. 
It would hardly be believed, if it were not 



LONDON. 127 

thoroughly substantiated, that these men could 
only get employment through those who keep 
public houses, (retailers,) and on the condition, 
before they go to work, that they will drink 
ardent spirits, and spend nearly half their earnings 
at the public house at night. Thus they are able 
to take home but little to their families, except 
degraded habits, and a love of ardent spirits, to 
which they are driven because they are obliged to 
pay for them. There are numbers of benevolent 
individuals, who w 7 ould be glad to see a stop put 
to this species of tyranny and oppression — to a 
system of slavery, worse than that from which the 
Africans had been redeemed. Abominable as the 
practice of slavery was, the African was protected 
as property ; but here the individual's constitution 
is undermined, and in proportion as he is intem- 
perate, so he gets employment. 

There is one gentleman, said the Admiral, 
who has commenced a system of employing 
coal-whippers without the necessity of their 
going to a public house ; they go immediately 
to him and get employ, and one of the largest 
gas companies in London sends that gentleman 
all their ships. The Admiral himself examined 
the men and put to them various questions, 
and they told him that when they never got 



128 LONDON. 

above 10s. or 12s. after clearing a ship before, 
they now carry home upon an average £[. 18s. 
Admiral Brenton concluded by saying that he did 
not know that it was possible for the members of 
the Temperance Society to meet with a more 
tangible case for the exertion of all their influence. 
If they were to take up the case, they would see 
an end put to the worst description of slavery, 

Peter H. Fleetwood, Esq. M. P. from Preston, 
then addressed the meeting. Perhaps there is no 
part of England where the temperance cause has 
made greater advances than in Preston and its 
vicinity. The honorable member stated that in a 
town of only 6,000 inhabitants, there were 1,500 
members of the Temperance Society — and that 
nine out of eleven spirit or beer houses had been 
closed. He expressed a wish that there might be 
an ordinance from the British government that no 
ship in the navy should be permitted to have 
spirits on board, except as a medicine. He men- 
tioned a striking fact connected with the merchant 
vessels trading from the Baltic to Liverpool. A 
large ship owner in Liverpool wrote to his agents 
to know why his vessels were lying idle, unable 
to procure freight. It was stated in reply, that so 
long as there were American ships there which 
prohibited the use of ardent spirits, the merchants 



LONDON. 129 

preferred sending their cargoes by them rather 
than by British vessels which carried spirits. 

Rev. Dr. Matheson then addressed the meeting 
and gave an interesting account of his late visit to 
the United States, and of the wonderful success of 
the temperance cause in that country. 

Rev. Mr. Stowell, who is a most stirring and 
vehement orator, made a most powerful impression 
on the audience, and related many characteristic 
and amusing anecdotes. He mentioned a circum- 
stance which took place in the neighborhood of a 
Sunday school in Manchester. "A spinner, who 
lived near the church, was very much opposed to 
religion, and was also of intemperate habits. He 
used to stand at the door of his cottage, when the 
teachers and scholars of the Sabbath school passed, 
for the purpose of insulting them. The teachers 
held a meeting for the purpose of consulting what 
should be done with him. Some one proposed to 
inform against him to the magistrates. Two of 
them went to see him, and told him that he must 
go with them to the meeting of the Temperance 
Society ; or they would complain of him to the 
civil authority. With no higher motive than a 
desire to avoid a prosecution, he accompanied 
them to the meeting. He was powerfully im- 
pressed with the statements he heard at the meet- 



130 LONDON. 

ing — a flood of light broke in upon his mind, and 
he exclaimed, ' What have I been about ? What 
a fool and madman have I been ? ? At the next 
meeting he subscribed the temperance pledge, and 
became a zealous supporter of the cause of tem- 
perance. He was soon led to receive the truth as 
it is in Jesus, in its life giving power, and was ad- 
mitted, after examination, to the table of the Lord, 
and became a Sunday school teacher in that very 
Sunday school he had so grossly insulted. 

" Some time after this, a person was wanted 
to superintend a large spinning establishment in 
Prussia. This man was applied to, and accepted 
the appointment. One Sabbath morning his em- 
ployer came to him and said, ' John, why is the 
mill stopped, and all the workmen idle ? ' ' Sir,' 
said John, 'I never work on the Sabbath.' ' But,' 
said his master, ' it is the custom here, and every 
one works on the Sabbath.' ' Well, sir,' replied 
the workman, l you may turn me out of employ- 
ment, but I cannot work on the Sabbath.' The 
master left the room in a rage, but he soon cooled, 
and came back and said, c Very well, John, it shall 
be as you please. The mill shall be stopped on 
the Sabbath.'" 

The Hon. and Rev. Baptiste W. Noel then 
addressed the meeting. His object was to reply 



LONDON. 131 

to some popular objections that had been urged 
against the Temperance Society. The Society- 
bad been accused of interfering with one of the 
few pleasures of laboring people. 'Interfere,' said 
he, ' with their pleasures ! Can any one hear 
such an objection without feeling a sense of 
humiliation for human nature ? Interfere with 
their pleasures ! What do they mean by telling 
us so ? Must we let the gin drinker continue his 
pleasure and pursue his hateful vice, till his head 
is harder than a millstone ? Let him pursue 
his pleasure till he has broken the heart of 
her, who was the companion of his youth, and 
who ought to be the dearest of his pleasures ! 
Let him pursue his pleasure till he can look 
with a dry and tearless eye on the children 
w T ho ask him for bread, or perhaps beat them 
because they have the natural infirmity of hunger! 
Let him pursue his pleasure till his limbs are 
crippled, his face emaciated, and his heart with- 
ered ! There are pleasures so debasing, that they 
deserve not the name ; there are pleasures which 
every good man hates ; and he, who loves his 
species, will ever be found foremost in suppressing 
them, for the purpose of introducing real happi- 
ness, a purer and more substantial joy, and which, 
on a dying pillow may be looked back upon without 
remorse.' 



132 LONDON. 

The eloquent speaker in concluding his ad- 
dress, indulged his fancy in drawing a beautiful 
picture of the happy results that would arise from 
the success of the Temperance Reformation. c I 
would see,' said he, 'Primrose Hill (a place of 
resort in the neighborhood of London) crowded 
with temperance tents ; I would see all the mem- 
bers of the Society marching in deep columns, 
looking so respectable, so temperate ; I would 
gladly see our Monarch himself, at the head of 
the review, looking upon that part of his subjects 
on which he might most depend in every emer- 
gency. What a strong and beautiful contrast 
would there be between the members of this 
Society, who should march under a banner on 
which Temperance was inscribed on the one side 
and Religion on the other, and those who should 
turn out of the haunts of gin palaces ! O what 
contrast is there between the splendor of the 
house and the misery of the customer ! What a 
bitter sigh involuntarily escapes the drunken, when 
they should see the temperate arriving, band after 
band, at the scene of their encampment ! I can 
believe that if some malignant spirit were allowed 
to hover over the scene, it would be compelled, as 
the prophet of old was when he looked upon the 
multitudes around, to exclaim, " How goodly are 



LONDON. 133 

thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel." 
Or, if there were another class I would see parade 
through the streets, that it might act upon the 
imaginations of those who are engaged in this 
dreadful vice, I should like, by some mysterious 
and irresistible energy,- (for I suppose no other 
could bring it about,) to bring the poor little ones, 
tattered and weeping and wan, even in childhood, 
from all those tenements where drunkards live, 
into the streets ; and I would have the noble, and 
the titled, and the rich, and the ministers of reli- 
gion, who stand aloof from this Society, drawn up 
in their thousands, and see how they would gaze 
upon these little ones, as they marched through 
the line of the noble and the titled and the wealthy 
and the reverend. I would say to them, What do 
you mean to do to rescue these little ones ? How 
can you save them from the daily, hourly misery 
to which the drunkenness of the parent exposes 
them ? Or if there be another class still, which I 
would rather see brought before the eyes of their 
assembled countrymen, it would be composed of 
such as that reclaimed workman, who was once 
engaged in insulting those who wished well to 
their fellow men, but is now occupied in devoting 
his time on the Sabbath day to make his fellow 
workmen happy for time and for eternity. I 



134 LONDON. 

would collect the thousands that had been rescued 
by means of this institution ; and if we could but 
fix the gaze of those thousands in society yet 
devoted to vice, it might so act on their imagina- 
tion, that by hundreds and thousands they would 
flock to the standard of this institution.' 

The secretary of the Society, Mr. Capper, 
here read to the meeting the following document. 

"At a meeting of the Executive Committee 
of the American Temperance Society, held in 
Boston, Massachusetts, on the eighth day of De- 
cember, 1834, it was 

" Tooted, That the Rev. John Codman, D. D., 
of Dorchester, Massachusetts, and the Rev. 
Heman Humphrey, D. D., President of Amherst 
College, Amherst, Massachusetts, be, and they 
hereby are, appointed Delegates to represent the 
American Temperance Society, at the annual 
meeting of the British and Foreign Temperance 
Society, to be holden in London in May 1835; 
and in all other meetings of Temperance Socie- 
ties and friends of temperance, which they may 
be permitted to attend during their absence from 
the United States. 

" Attest, E. Hale, Jr., 

"Setfy of the Exec. Com. and Rec. Sec. of the Jim. Temp. Soc." 



LONDON. 135 

We then severally addressed the meeting, and 
were received with great courtesy and kindness. 
My colleague was at home and in his. element, 
and entered into some interesting statistical details 
of the temperance reformation in the United 
States. His speech on this occasion has been 
transferred to some of our own public prints, and 
will be read with interest, by the numerous friends 
of the Temperence Society in the United States. 

J. S. Buckingham, Esq. who is distinguished 
for his advocacy of the Temperance cause, both 
in and out of parliament, made a most eloquent 
speech, in which he alluded very courteously to 
the presence of the American Deputation, and 
professed his readiness to co-operate with us in all 
our efforts to promote the temperance reforma- 
tion. 

The speech of Mr. Edward Parsons of Leeds, 
was rendered interesting from peculiar circum- 
stances, to which he himself alluded in bearing 
his testimony to two great facts. The first fact 
was, that intemperance is the greatest evil in the 
world ; the second was, that its progress and 
ravages can only be successfully counteracted by 
the practical application of the Temperance 
Society. 

Mr. P. was a few years since a popular Dis- 



136 LONDON. 

senting minister in London. He was obliged to 
quit his profession, and retire to private life. He 
is now a reclaimed and sober man, and felt it his 
duty to bear his public testimony to the beneficial 
influence of the Temperance Society. 

The last speech was made by the Rev. John 
Williams, who gave some valuable information 
respecting the temperance cause in the South Sea 
islands. 

I have been thus particular in giving an account 
of this anniversary, as every thing relating to the 
subject of temperance will be interesting to its 
numerous friends in the United States. 

On the platform I noticed many excellent and 
distinguished men, and several there and in the 
hall with the broad brimmed hat and the quaker 
bonnet. As a society, the Friends are always 
ready to patronize and encourage every benevolent 
and philanthropic effort to alleviate the condition 
of suffering humanity ; and I believe, in that day 
when every one shall be rewarded according to 
his works, manv of them will be found among that 
happy number, who, in the persons of his dis- 
ciples, visited the Saviour in prison, and admin- 
istered to his necessities. 

Mrs. Elizabeth Fry, a name that deserves to be 
associated with that of the immortal Howard, in 



LONDON. 137 

the records of philanthropy, has taken a deep and 
lively interest in the cause of temperance. She 
obtained the countenance and support of Sir 
Robert Peel, while chancellor of the exchequer, 
for the establishment of libraries at the several 
coast-guard stations in the kingdom, and at her 
solicitation a grant of the publications of the 
temperance society has been made in furtherance 
of her enlightened project. Much good is antici- 
pated from the opportunity thus afforded of dis- 
seminating the principles of the Society. 

I confess I was much disappointed in not seeing 
more of my Dissenting brethren present at this 
important anniversary. Why they should absent 
themselves from a meeting that ought to be strictly 
national and impartial, I could not divine. I 
heard some of their names mentioned in the list 
of the Society's committee, but I looked in vain 
for them on the platform. There are some hon- 
orable exceptions to the indifference that seems to 
pervade the Dissenting community on this subject. 
The Rev. Dr. John Pye Smith has from the 
beginning taken a lively interest in the temperance 
cause, and by his elevated station and distinguished 
character much good may be expected from the 
noble stand he has taken in favor of total absti- 
nence. Still, as a body, the members of the 
10 



138 LONDON 

Congregational Union, I regret to say, are behind 
their brethren in the Establishment, in their efforts 
to promote this philanthropic and benevolent cause. 
Much good might be done by their combined 
energies in passing resolutions at their annual 
meetings, and by recommending the formation of 
temperance societies in all their congregations. 
It is sincerely, to be hoped that this important 
subject will engage their attention at their future 
meetings ; and that, as they are forward in other 
good works, they will not be backward in this 
labor of love. These hints, should they ever 
meet their eye, will, I doubt not, be received, as 
they are intended to be given, in the spirit of 
Christian and fraternal love. 

No one, I think, who visits the British Metropo- 
lis, will fail to be struck with the unblushing 
effrontery with which the monster Intemperance 
presents himself to the public notice, and solicits 
their patronage and support in his splended palaces 
of gin. These are what used to be vulgarly 
called dram-shops, and are now dignified by a 
more noble and pompous appellation. And they 
are not denominated palaces without reason. They 
are large and commodious shops, fitted up in the 
most extensive and splendid style for the retail of 
ardent spirits and malt liquor. The barrels, con- 



LONDON. 139 

taining the noxious mixture, are painted and la- 
belled in the neatest and most attractive manner. 
The bar, from which it is retailed in glasses as 
low as a half-penny each, is ornamented in the 
most gaudy and extravagant style, and the whole 
extensive apartment, especially when lighted up 
with gas of an evening, with the additional attrac- 
tion of an illuminated clock, presents a most 
brilliant and imposing appearance. Notwithstand- 
ing all this foolish expenditure, the owners of 
these establishments find it for their interest thus 
to gild the poisonous pill. Many of them, it is 
said, have retired from business with ample for- 
tunes, and are now rioting upon the wealth 
amassed from the ruin of their fellow men in 
body, soul, and estate. 

One of the speakers at the anniversary meeting 
(Rev. Mr. Stowell) stated, — that he was told 
upon credible authority — -authority which he could 
not doubt — that there drives to one of the leading 
dram-shops in the metropolis, a coach and four in 
great splendor, on the pannel of which is inscribed 
with unblushing effrontery — 

" Who would have thought it 
That gin should have bought it." 

( Ah ! who would have thought it ? Who can 



140 LONDON. 

tell what ruined fortunes— what broken hearts — ■ 
what widows' sorrows — what orphan children's 
tears— what daring atrocities — what foul murders 
— what dreadful suicides — have gone to launch that 
splendid equipage?' " O my soul come not thou 
into their secret, into their assembly mine honor 
be not thou united." 

We were told by a friend, who stood on a Sabbath 
morning, opposite one of these receptacles of sin 
and misery, watching the ingress and egress of its 
visitors, that he counted fifty persons, in one 
minute, coming out of the place, having taken 
their morning dram ; and by another, that not 
less than fifty pounds sterling, are sometimes 
taken on a Sabbath morning in one of these 
haunts of vice and misery, in sums not exceeding 
a penny. Among all the dreadful instances of 
intemperance that were too common in our own 
country, previous to the temperance reformation, 
nothing I think could compare with statements 
like these. 

I could not but be struck with the amazing 
difference in the habits of temperance, between 
those parts of the Continent which I visited during 
the last winter, and the British Isles. It was so 
rare an occurrence to meet with an instance of 
intoxication in the streets and roads, through 



LONDON. 141 

which we passed in France and Italy, that I have 
not, at the present moment, a distinct recollection 
of a single individual case ; whereas I cannot 
number the instances of beastly intemperance I 
met with in the streets of London, and in different 
parts of the United Kingdom. 

The practice of holding Fairs on certain days of 
the week or month in different towns and villages, 
is very injurious to public morals. In the excur- 
sions which we made into various parts of the 
kingdom, we were, not unfrequently, the unwilling 
spectators and auditors of those bustling, noisy 
and fantastic scenes of merriment and confusion. 
The puppet-show and merry-andrew travel about 
in their itinerary. caravans from village to village, 
and draw the wondering attention of the rustic 
crowd. The beer glass and gin bottle circulate 
freely on these occasions ; and the light jest, the 
loud laugh and the unsteady gait of the excited 
multitude, betray the inebriating influence of the 
subtle poison. 

While it is deeply to be regretted that so little 
is done to check these alarming evils, I am 
happy to bear testimony to what a few of the 
friends of temperance have done and are doing in 
this work of benevolence and mercy. 

The Honorable Mr. Buckingham, with a zeal 



142 LONDON. 

and ability which does him great honor, has not 
only called the attention of the British Parliament 
to this important subject, but has gone from city 
to city, and from village to village, in the true 
spirit of a temperance missionary, to enlighten 
the public mind, and to excite the zeal and rouse 
the efforts of the friends of temperance. 

Other like minded and public spirited individu- 
als are delivering addresses on the subject in dif- 
ferent parts of the kingdom ; and meetings are 
held from time to time by the various temperance 
associations, for the furtherance of their benevolent 
and praiseworthy designs. 

While we were in London, my colleague and 
myself received a very cordial invitation from 
Mr. William Wardlaw, secretary of the Glasgow 
Temperance Society, to visit that city and to hold 
a public meeting. I regretted that my very short 
stay in Scotland prevented my acceding to that 
arrangement ; but measures were taken to secure 
the attendance and services of Dr. Humphrey, 
who was not so limited in time. 

Dr. Humphrey has been, and I trust will be 
still more useful in awakening the attention of the 
British public to this great subject ; but it is im- 
possible for a Deputation, who have other objects 
to engage their attention, and are limited to a very 



LONDON. 143 

short absence from their duties at home, to do 
much to promote the temperance reform. 

The meeting of the Temperance Society was 
continued to a late hour ; and, in descending the 
stairs from the Hall, we met the friends of the 
Home Missionary Society, collecting together to 
attend, in the same place, the anniversary of that 
institution. We hastened to our lodgings, which 
were but a short distance, and, after having re- 
freshed ourselves with a hasty cup of tea, returned 
to the place of meeting, which was, by that time, 
overflowing, and, with difficulty, I found a place 
on the platform. 

When we entered, the chairman was in the 
midst of his introductory speech, which was pro- 
tracted to an unreasonable length. It was suc- 
ceeded by a long report by the secretary of the< 
Society, the Rev. William Henry. Several ani- 
mated addresses then followed, by the Rev. John 
Liefchild, Rev. Mr. Sherman of Reading, Drs. 
Fletcher and Matheson, and others. 

Near the close of the meeting, it devolved on 
me, as the Delegate from the American Home 
Missionary Society, to address the meeting. I was 
received with the utmost kindness and cordiality. 
But the time was gone — my own strength, which 
had been taxed by eight or nine hours' attendance 



144 LONDON. 

in that place, with a very brief intermission , was 
exhausted, and I was able, only, to express the 
satisfaction I enjoyed in meeting my brethren on 
such an occasion, and in offering to the meeting 
the congratulations and best wishes of the Society 
I had the honor to represent. 

The Home Missionary Society is a very im- 
portant institution to the interests of the indepen- 
dent churches, and has a strong place in the 
affections of the ministers and people of that de- 
nomination. It is capable, however, of great and 
important improvements. It wants, like many 
other societies in England, an individual entirely 
devoted to its interests, who would give his whole 
time and talents to the business of the institution, 
and to the important work of visiting the churches, 
and rousing them to greater efforts in raising funds 
for its more extensive usefulness. 

The present worthy secretary, the Rev. Mr. 
Henry, is minister of an independent congregation 
in Tooting, in the neighborhood of London, and 
his attention is necessarily divided between the 
labors of his pastoral charge and the business of 
the Society. If this institution would do all the 
good, of which it is capable, (and it is capable of 
promoting, to a very great extent, the religious 
interests of the independent Dissenters,) it must 



LONDON. 145 

have a man exclusively devoted to it. This is 
one principal cause of the greater success of similar 
institutions in the United States. 

With the anniversary of the Home Missionary 
Society closed the series of anniversary meetings, 
which called for my official attendance in London. 
Such was the pressure of engagements, that I 
found it impracticable to attend all the anniversa- 
ries that occur at this interesting season, some of 
which were held simultaneously, in different parts 
of the city. 

The anniversary of the Peace Society was held 
on the same evening with that of the Home Mis- 
sionary Society and was attended by my colleague, 
Dr. Humphrey. 

The Religious Tract Society was held at such 
a distance from our residence, and at such an early 
hour, that I was prevented from attending it. That, 
and the Christian Instruction Society are among 
the most interesting and important societies in the 
metropolis ; and it would have given me much 
pleasure, had it been in my power to have attended 
them. Dr. Spring and the Rev. Mr. Baird, how- 
ever, attended the Tract meeting, and gave the 
necessary information of the successful efforts of 
the transatlantic institution. 

In reviewing these interesting seasons we are 
led to compare them with similar meetings in our 



146 LONDON. 

own country. They are certainly, more stirring 
and exciting, but they are less solemn and impres- 
sive. The repeated cries of hear, hear, and the 
shouts of applause with which a British audience 
cheer their favorite speakers, while they enliven 
and stimulate the extemporaneous declaimer, tend 
rather to embarrass the calm deliverer of a pre- 
meditated address. 

At the same time, it must be acknowledged that 
a little more excitement in an American audience 
would tend to enliven the meeting. Some of the 
happiest efforts of eloquence are undoubtedly oc- 
casioned by the marked and decided approbation 
of an audience, and — if the expression of applause 
could be restrained within the bounds of modera- 
tion, I am not sure, but the custom of occasional 
cheering might be introduced to advantage on an 
American platform. 

There is a practice prevalent in England, which 
gave me much pain, and I hope never to see intro- 
duced on similar occasions in America. It is that 
of the free use of stimulating liquors at their public 
meetings. On a table on the platform are placed 
decanters of wine, large glasses of which are hand- 
ed to the speakers and others, sometimes, though 
not always diluted with water. It is considered, 
though very erroneously, a necessary refreshment. 
Another custom, which strikes an American with 



LONDON. 147 

great surprise, is the habit of offering similar re- 
freshment to the preacher, immediately after he 
comes down from the pulpit. This practice, I 
regret to say, is almost universal. I took the lib- 
erty, frequently, to remonstrate with my English 
brethren on the impropriety and inconsistency of 
these customs. They had thought them neces- 
sary and proper ; but I am persuaded they will be 
open to conviction, and be induced to relinquish 
them. 

These customs, which now strike an American 
so unfavorably, it ought to be remembered, might 
have been viewed by him with indifference, a few 
years since. We are in advance of our English 
brethren, on the subject of temperance ; while, on 
many other subjects, they are in the advance of 
us. Twenty years ago an English traveller might 
have noticed on the sideboards of his American 
friends, (not excepting the ministers of the gospel,) 
bottles of brandy or gin or Jamaica spirits, with 
the sugar bowl and pitcher of hot water, and been 
very cordially invited to partake of the refresh- 
ment. Such customs are gone by, we trust for- 
ever ; and we hope, and confidently believe, that 
the practises, here adverted to, as now prevailing 
in England, will soon follow them, and be num- 
bered among the things that have ceased to be. 



CHAPTER VI. 



LONDON. 



We received during our short residence in 
London, much kindness and attention from our 
Christian friends. We were repeatedly invited 
to visit them, and, as soon as our more public 
engagements were closed, we were happy to avail 
ourselves of their hospitality, and to mingle in the 
social circle, and share the pleasures of domestic 
life. 

My old and valued friends in Islington were 
unremitted in their endeavors to promote our 
comfort and happiness. We also received par- 
ticular civility from many of the Dissenting 
ministers and the leading members of their 
churches. I dined, on Wednesday, with Mr. 
Morley, one of Dr. Burder's 'deacons, and, at his 
hospitable mansion, met many esteemed and 



LONDON. 149 

valued friends. Mr. M. is surrounded, not only 
by an amiable family, but by those temporal 
comforts, which render an English residence in 
the vicinity of London so peculiarly desirable. 

The evening of the next day was the time 
appointed for the interview of the American 
Deputation with the churches connected with the 
Congregational Union. In the afternoon, my 
family and myself took tea with Mr. Houston, one 
of the members of Mr. J. Clayton's congregation, 
where we met with a most agreeable coterie of 
Christian friends, consisting, besides our excellent 
host and hostess, of the Rev. Henry Townley, 
George Bennett, Esq., Rev. Dr. Fletcher, and 
the Rev. John Clayton ; with several ladies. 

Mr. Townley's benign and expressive counte- 
nance is indicative of the purity and serenity of 
his mind. Several years ago he went to India, at 
his own expense, as a missionary of the London 
Missionary Society, accompanied by Mrs. Town- 
ley, who possesses a like missionary spirit, and is 
eminently devoted to the cause of Christ. On 
his return to England, he accepted an invitation 
from an independent congregation in Spitalfields, 
where he now labors with comfort and success. 

George Bennett, Esq., is the surviving member 
of the Deputation from the London Missionary 



150 LONDON. 

Society to the South Sea Islands. His colleague, 
the Rev. Mr. Tyerman, it will be recollected, 
died at Madagascar. The narrative of their mis- 
sion has been read with lively interest on both 
sides of the Atlantic. Mr. Bennett is a warm 
hearted and excellent man, and we were indebted 
to him for many kind attentions. 

Of the Rev. Dr. Fletcher I have already 
spoken. He was, on this occasion, the same 
delightful companion as ever. 

The Rev. John Clayton, Jr., the highly es- 
teemed pastor of the Poultry Chapel, whom I 
have, also, had occasion to mention before, pos- 
sesses a well balanced and cultivated mind, and 
enjoys, in a high degree, the esteem and confi- 
dence of his brethren and the community. 

After tea, we proceeded together to the Chapel, 
which was but a short distance, and which we 
found filled and overflowing. The meeting was 
to me one of tender and affecting interest. I 
deeply felt the responsibilities that rested upon 
my brethren and myself, who were expected to 
occupy the principal part of the attention of the 
audience. 

The exercises were introduced with singing, and 
a very appropriate prayer by the Rev. Dr. J. P. 
Smith. The Rev. John Blackburn, one of the 



LONDON. 151 

secretaries of the Congregational Union, then read 
the commissions and testimonials of the American 
Deputation, and very kindly and affectionately 
introduced us to the meeting. I then ascended 
the pulpit, and addressed the audience for about 
twenty-five or thirty minutes. The situation in 
which I stood, as an accredited representative of 
the Congregational Churches of New England, 
the lineal descendants of a Puritan ancestry, who 
left the land of their Fathers, that they might 
enjoy, without molestation, the privilege of wor- 
shipping God according to the dictates of their 
own consciences, was one of no common occur- 
rence ; and the fact that I should never meet that 
large congregation again, till assembled with 
countless millions at the judgment seat of Christ, 
affected my own mind in no ordinary degree. 
I poured out my heart in the presence of my 
Christian brethren and sisters, strangers indeed in 
the flesh, but united, as I trust, in the spirit, and 
I felt in my own soul the vibration of a cord, 
which assured me of the sympathetic sensibilities 
of my audience. 

I was succeeded by my colleague, Dr. Hum- 
phrey, who occupied about the same length of 
time. His unaffected simplicity, his plain good 
sense, and his intellectual power, could not fail to 



152 LONDON. 

convince the assembly that they were listening to 
" an Israelite indeed, in whom there was no guile." 

The exercises were then relieved by singing, 
and prayer by the Rev. Dr. Fletcher. 

Dr. Spring made the concluding address in his 
usually solemn and impressive manner. He dwelt 
upon the responsibilities of British Christians in 
the present interesting period of the world, and 
urged, with great power, the duties of the people 
of God, in both hemispheres, to unite together for 
the conversion of the world. 

The blessing of Heaven was then supplicated 
upon the services — and the Deputation, with their 
families and flocks, commended to the guidance 
and protection of the great Head of the church, by 
the Rev. Dr. Burder. 

The impression left on my own mind by this 
meeting was such as time will never efface. It 
will remain associated with the pleasing recol- 
lections of my visit to the churches in the father 
land, as long as " life and being last, or immortality 
endures." 

The next day I accepted an invitation to dine 
with Mr. Bateman, Jr., near Finsbury Square. 
Mr. Bateman is connected with the Tabernacle 
church, Moorfields, originally built for Mr. Whit- 
field, and till recently, for many years occupied by 



LONDON. 153 

the eccentric Matthew Wilkes. Its present pastor 
is the Rev. Mr. Campbell, whom I met at Mr. 
Bateman's, with a large number of respected 
friends ; among them Mr. Bateman, senior, Mr. 
Piper, Dr. Reed, Mr. Liefchild, and Mr. Bull of 
Newport Pagnel. Much interesting conversation 
took place on the comparative peculiarities of the 
English and American pulpit and on other im- 
portant subjects. 

The Rev. Mr. Bull, who lives within a few 
miles of Olney, the former residence of the la- 
mented Cowper, gave me a pressing invitation to 
visit him, and promised to accompany us to Olney, 
and show us the interesting scenes endeared by 
the poet's memory. I had confidently expected 
to have availed myself of his kindness — but our 
disappointed expectation remains among the re- 
grets, occasioned by our hurried departure from 
England. 

On Saturday, Mrs. C. and myself dined with 
the Rev. Dr. Burder, at Hackney. We met 
there a very pleasant party and our time passed 
rapidly in agreeable and profitable conversation. 

Dr. Burder has been twice married. His first 

wife, and the mother of his children, was the 

daughter of the late Joseph Hardcastle, Esq., well 

known to the religious world as the first treasurer 

11 



154 LONDON. 

of the London Missionary Society. His portrait, 
together with that of the venerable George Burder, 
the long tried and useful secretary of the same 
institution, hang side by side in the doctor's parlor, 
and are, by no means, the least interesting articles 
of furniture in his well-furnished dwelling. The 
present Mrs. Burder, who was the daughter of the 
late Rev. Mr. Taylor, a Dissenting minister, is 
admirably well suited for the duties of her station ; 
and while she relieves her husband from the pres- 
sure of domestic cares, is eminently well qualified 
to assist him in the more important duties of his 
sacred calling. An only daughter, and three sons, 
compose the remainder of this interesting family, 
with whom it was my happiness to spend many 
hours of social and Christian intercourse. 

The next day was the Sabbath, and I preached 
for Dr. Reed in the morning. His chapel, which 
is a modern one, is large and commodious, and 
remarkably well attended. The construction of 
this, and similar places of worship, in England, is 
admirably well adapted for the accommodation both 
of the preacher and the hearers. The pulpit, 
which will hold only one, and not an association 
of ministers, like some of the pulpits in New En- 
gland, is so placed as to afford the speaker the 
opportunity of looking all the congregration in the 



LONDON. 155 

eye, which is of great advantage to the preacher 
who depends not upon a written sermon, but upon 
his recollection, and the excitement of the oc- 
casion, for producing an effect upon the audience. 
It is, almost, the universal custom for Dissenting 
ministers, of the independent denomination in En- 
gland, to preach without notes, (that is without 
reading, for many of them use short notes like a 
lawyer's brief.) There is, certainly, much to be 
said in favor of this practice. It is, without doubt, 
a more popular method of preaching than the habit 
of reading sermons, as those preachers are most 
followed who adopt it. It tends to give the 
speaker self-possession, and to lead him to cultivate 
the habit of extemporaneous speaking, which is 
of no small importance in this day of platform 
declamation and field preaching. It may also give 
the minister more time to attend to the cultivation 
of his mind, and general study, although the fact, 
that the time, thus redeemed, is generally thus 
improved, is very questionable. I have been in- 
clined to think that the practice of writing sermons, 
which prevails among the educated clergy of the 
United States, instead of weakening the intel- 
lectual power, and lessening the general stock of 
knowledge and information, by occupying too great 
a proportion of time, has a direct tendency to 



156 LONDON. 

strengthen the intellect, to encourage habits of 
study, and to counteract that propensity to indo- 
lence and inactivity, so natural to the human mind ; 
and, although I have the greatest respect for the 
independent Dissenting ministers of England, and 
am not conscious of an overweening and' undue 
partiality for my own denomination in the United 
States, — I cannot but think, that those ministers 
in America who are in the habit of writing and 
reading their sermons, would not suffer in com- 
parison, both as to their classical and scientific 
attainments, their theological learning and their 
general usefulness, with their more ready and 
fluent brethren in the father land. Nor can I 
believe, with my esteemed and beloved brother, 
Dr. Reed, in his remarks on this subject in his 
narrative, that " this practice is undoubtedly pre- 
judicial to the interests of the people." So far as 
my knowledge extends, there is no people better 
informed on the subject of religion, and more un- 
exceptionable in their piety and in their morals, 
than the people of New England and Scotland, in 
both which countries the habit of writing sermons 
very generally prevails. The sermons, which 
they hear and which have an influence upon their 
character as a people, may be less animated and 
hortatory, and perhaps less eloquent than those 



LONDON. 157 

among the English Dissenters ; but they are more 
systematic, more doctrinal, and more instructive. 
Both methods, however, have their advantages, 
and happy is the preacher who can combine them 
in his pulpit ministrations. 

In the evening I preached for Dr. Burder, and 
spent the night at his hospitable mansion, that I 
might be in season to avail myself of the kind in- 
vitation of Mr. G. Bennett, who lives in the neigh- 
borhood, to breakfast with him and a select party 
of Christian friends on Monday morning. 

We rose at an early hour, and Dr. Burder and 
myself walked through the beautiful green lanes, 
and the enclosure containing the monuments of the 
dead connected with the parish church of Hackney, 
to Mr. Bennett's residence, where we found, 
already assembled, a number of invited guests. 
Mr. Bennett is unmarried, and resides in private 
lodgings, with a Christian family of great respect- 
ability. 

Besides my brethren of the Deputation, there 
were present on this occasion, Rev. Dr. J. P. 
Smith, Rev. John Clayton, Rev. George Collison, 
Rev. Henry Townley, Rev. Dr. Burder, Messrs. 
Morley and Charles, and though last mentioned, 
not least interesting to us who had heard of his 
fame, and read with delight his admirable poems, 



158 



LONDON. 



the talented, the humble, the devout James Mont- 
gomery. Before breakfast we engaged in the 
solemn and delightful exercises of family worship. 
After reading a portion of Scripture, with brief and 
pertinent remarks by Dr. Smith, and singing one 
of Montgomery's beautiful hymns, we were led in 
our addresses to the throne of grace by my es- 
teemed colleague Dr. Humphrey. 

At the breakfast table, much interesting conver- 
sation ensued, in which there was great union and 
harmony of sentiment. I was gratified to find, 
not only with regard to the particular subjects of 
discussion, but in reference to important doctrines 
connected with them, a reluctance, both in the 
English and American brethren, to embrace nov- 
elties in religion, and a strong disposition to adhere 
to the long received form of sound words, as ex- 
pressive of the faith once delivered to the saints. 

We separated about 12 o'clock, and having 
made an arrangement with Mr. Bennett to call, 
with his friend Montgomery, on my family, I 
returned to our lodgings in Norfolk street, Strand, 
where I found those gentlemen, who had arrived a 
few minutes before me. My family were delighted 
to see and converse with a poet, of whom they 
had heard and read so much, and were charmed 
with his unaffected simplicity of manners and con- 



LONDON. 159 

versation. He kindly wrote the following im- 
promptu, in my daughter's Album. 

MOTTO FOR THE BIBLE, 

" Behold the Book, whose leaves display 
Jesus, the life, the truth, the way. 
Read it with diligence and care, 
Search it, for you will find Him there." 

It is the union of genius and religion that con- 
stitutes the charm in the character of this admirable 
man. It is impossible to be long in his society 
without feeling something of that holy influence 
which the presence of a humble and devoted 
Christian is apt to inspire. I shall ever regard the 
short acquaintance I was so happy as to form with 
him, as among the most interesting reminiscences 
of my European tour. 

I dined this day, in company with my colleagues, 
at the Rev. Dr. Fletcher's. Here we met with a 
select and highly respectable party of ministerial 
brethren and others, and passed our time in a 
pleasant and I trust profitable manner. 

Some of our friends at Hackney had made ar- 
rangements for us to spend a day in the country ; 
and, accordingly, on Tuesday morning, we repaired 
to Mr. Charles's, of Hackney, where we found 
carriages waiting to convey us into the country. 



160 LONDON. 

Our party consisted of Dr. and Mrs. Reed, Dr. 
Spring and his daughter, Dr. Humphrey, Mr. and 
Mrs. Charles and several of their friends. The 
weather was unfavorable, but the arrangements 
having been previously made, it was too late to 
alter them, and we rode forwards to Epping forest, 
a distance of ten or twelve miles. The scenery 
through which we passed, was delightful indeed, 
and wanted nothing but a bright sun to render it 
perfectly lovely. We were hospitably received at 
a beautiful cottage in Chigwell row, belonging to 
Mr. Annesley, one of the party, where we stopped 
some time to obtain refreshment, and to admire 
the grounds and the prospect. 

On our return, we visited the London Orphan 
Asylum, an admirably well regulated and useful 
institution, which owes its existence, and much of 
its prosperity, to the philanthropic spirit and inde- 
fatigable labors of our excellent friend, Dr. Reed. 
Between three and four hundred children are here 
fed, clothed, and educated. The extensive apart- 
ments, both culinary, dormitory, and domestic, 
through which we severally passed, are kept with 
the most perfect neatness and order. We attended 
evening prayers in the chapel connected with the 
institution. The chaplain of the asylum is a cler- 
gyman of the established church. The service 



LONDON. 161 

was rendered peculiarly interesting, by the plain 
and evangelical exposition of the scripture lessons 
adapted to the capacities of children, and by the 
distinct responses of children's voices with which 
it was interspersed. 

We returned at a late hour, to Mr. Charles's, 
where we dined, and spent the evening with a 
large number of Christian friends. 

Most of our time, for several days, was spent in 
visiting friends, and in returning some of the nu- 
merous calls we had received. 

On Thursday, we dined in company with our 
American friends at the Rev. George Clayton's in 
Walworth. This accomplished and excellent man 
received us with his usual courtesy. We were 
happy to find in Mrs. Clayton, a warm and de- 
cided advocate of the temperance reformation. 
Few persons are more beloved and more useful in 
their congregations than Mr. and Mrs. Clayton. 
They live for their people, and their people return 
their efforts and sacrifices for their good, with the 
most entire esteem and cordial affection. 

After dinner, Mr. Clayton accompanied us to 
the Surrey Zoological Gardens, in the vicinity of 
his house, where we were gratified with the sight 
of a fine collection of animals, and other curiosities, 
both natural and artificial. On our return to Mr. 



162 LONDON. 

Clayton's, the evening was concluded with prayer 
and praise. 

The succeeding Sabbath we spent with Mr. C. 
Sharp and his family, who are members of Mr. 
Clayton's congregation. Mr. Clayton preached 
in the morning, and I occupied the pulpit in the 
afternoon. In the evening we went to hear Mr. 
Melville, a distinguished clergyman of the estab- 
lished church, who preaches at Camden Chapel. 
Mr. Melville preaches every Sabbath evening, and 
is attended by a crowded audience. Through the 
politeness of a friend, who attends that place of 
worship, we found no difficulty in obtaining a 
seat. 

The subject of Mr. Melville's discourse was 
the unpardonable sin, which he considered as con- 
sisting in the wilful rejection and contempt of 
Christianity. He supposed that it was not con- 
fined, as many think, to the apostolic age, but might 
be committed at the present day. His sermon, 
which was read, was well written and forcibly de- 
livered. His style and manner bore a very strik- 
ing resemblance to that of Dr. Chalmers. 

We returned at a late hour to our lodgings ; and 
thus closed another of the days of the Son of man. 
How difficult is it to spend the Sabbath, as we 
could wish, in a foreign land ! There is an una- 



LONDON. 163 

voidable dissipation of mind, occasioned by moving 
from place to place, and by the absence of those 
customary helps in our own study and closet, that is 
exceedingly unfavorable to habits of devotion and 
spirituality of mind ; and I fear there is too much 
truth in the remark of Jeremy Taylor, that "no 
one can be devout, who leads a wandering life." 
Surely, the traveller from home needs a more than 
ordinary share of the grace of God to enable him 
to resist the manifold temptations by which he is 
surrounded, and to hold fast the steadfastness of 
his Christian principle firm unto the end. 

Mr. Piper, one of the leading members of Mr. 
Binney's congregation, whom I had met several 
times, and who had taken a lively interest in the 
American Deputation, had kindly proposed to 
gratify us with a visit to several of the important 
benevolent institutions of the metropolis and the 
vicinity. He accordingly called early on Monday 
morning, with two coaches, to commence the day 
by an excursion to Mill Hill. ' 

Our party consisted, besides my own family, of 
Dr. Humphrey, Dr. Spring and his daughter, 
Mrs. and Miss White, Mr. and Miss Piper, and 
Rev. Mr. Binney. Mr. Binney is highly es- 
teemed, not only by his congregation, but by his 



164 LONDON. 

denomination generally. He is undoubtedly a 
man of superior talent, possessing much originality 
and discrimination of mind. We found him, on 
this occasion, an interesting and instructive com- 
panion. 

The weather was again unfavorable, but, in 
every other respect, the ride was delightful. A 
couple of hour's drive brought us to Mill Hill, a 
beautiful and elevated spot, on which stands the 
extensive and commodious establishment for the 
education of the children of the Dissenters. 

This school is now under the parental and fos- 
tering superintendence of the Rev. William Clay- 
ton, who is admirably qualified, by the urbanity 
and suavity of his manners, for the duties of his 
station. He received us with great cordiality, and 
we soon sat down with Mrs. and Miss Claytpn, to a 
substantial breakfast, for which our ride had given 
us a keen appetite. 

After breakfast, Mr. Clayton conducted us over 
the building, which is exceedingly well adapted 
for the purpose, and over the grounds, which are 
laid out with great neatness and propriety, and 
command a most extensive and variegated pros- 
pect. The boys, about eighty in number, were 
then collected in the hall, to receive an address 
from each of the American Deputation, which was 



LONDON. 165 

given in a style adapted to their capacities, and 
designed to make a permanent religious impres- 
sion. From the deep and lively interest with 
which the youthful assembly listened to the re- 
marks of their transatlantic friends, I cannot but 
hope that we shall be remembered by them long 
after our return to America, and perhaps long after 
our removal to another world. This school has 
furnished the elementary education of some of the 
most distinguished men in Great Britain, and is 
justly ranked among the first and most important 
academical institutions in the land. 

We left Mr. Clayton and his youthful charge, 
highly gratified with the appearance of the insti- 
tution, and returned to town to visit, on the other 
side of the metropolis, the Asylums for the Blind, 
and the Deaf and Dumb. 

The Asylum for the Blind, in Blackfriar's road, 
is a large and important institution, but did not 
equal my expectations. It appeared to me much 
inferior to the blind school in Liverpool, which I 
visited with much interest some years since. But 
if my expectations were not met by the appearance 
of the Blind Asylum, they were more than. an- 
swered by the wonderful success attending the 
efforts to make the dumb to speak, which I wit- 
nessed with admiration at the Deaf and Dumb 



166 LONDON. 

Asylum. This institution, which owes its existence 
to my old and excellent friend, the late Rev. John 
Townsend, of Bermondsey, whose fine bust graces 
one of the apartments, is in successful operation. 

Many years ago, I visited the Abbe Sicard's 
institution in Paris, and also Mr. Braidwood's in 
London, and 1 have known something of the pro? 
gress of a similar institution in Hartford, in the 
United States, and have rejoiced in their success 
in imparting to an unhappy class of our fellow 
beings, the important resources of a general, and 
even refined education, through the instrumentality 
of reading and writing, and the knowledge of 
many of the arts ; but I had never supposed it 
possible that human ingenuity and talent could so 
far overcome the obstacles of nature, as to enable 
the individual who is an entire stranger to sound 
from his birth, to speak in a voice audible to every 
one but himself, and to maintain a regular and 
continuous conversation ; yet this I heard with my 
own ears, in repeated instances, in this institution. 
I held myself a conversation of several minutes 
with a well informed and intelligent man, who 
never heard the sound of his own or another's 
voice, and was astonished at the readiness and 
propriety with which he answered my questions, 
in a voice too that was by no means disagreeable^ 



LONDON. 167 

though perhaps not altogether natural. I have 
seen no object of public interest more deserving 
the attention of the benevolent traveller than this, 
and I would advise every one in visiting London, 
not to fail to see the Deaf and Dumb Asylum. 

The day was now drawing to a close, and we 
hastened from the Asylum to Mr. Piper's delightful 
and hospitable residence, on Denmark Hill, about 
four miles distant from the city, where Mrs. Piper 
and several invited guests awaited us at dinner. 
The table was profusely, if not sumptuously sup- 
plied, and the well furnished house and cultivated 
grounds indicated that ease and comfort, so peculiar 
not only to the nobility and gentry, but to the 
respectable and wealthy tradesmen of old England. 

Mr. Piper is by profession a builder, or stone 
mason, on a large scale, and has apparently 
amassed a handsome property, which he takes 
pleasure in expending, not only for his own 
comfort, but for the gratification of his friends, 
and the promotion of religious and benevolent 
objects. 

This delightful day and evening was closed with 
devotional exercises around the domestic altar, 
and our host did not cease his hospitality, until he 
had sent us safely to our lodgings in Norfolk street, 
Strand. 



168 LONDON. 

The special object of my mission to England 
having been accomplished, we hastened to attend 
to some of our secondary plans, in visiting different 
parts of England, Scotland and Wales. Before 
leaving London, we were happy in the opportu- 
nity of attending the anniversary of the charity 
children in St. Paul's Cathedral. This was the 
third time I had witnessed this most delightful 
spectacle ; but to the younger members of my 
family it was new and full of interest. We were 
highly favored in obtaining, through the kindness 
of friends, tickets, that admitted us to the best 
seats within the spacious dome, which was entirely 
lined with benches rising upon benches, and filled 
with the little objects of charitable education, 
dressed in the neat and beautiful uniforuis of their 
respective schools. The" simultaneous burst of 
juvenile voices in singing Old Hundred, and in 
chanting the recitative parts of the inimitably 
beautiful service of the church, and the hallelujah 
chorus, was beyond description. No one, who 
has not been present on one of these occasions, 
can form an adequate idea of the overwhelming 
effect produced by the united and harmonious 
voices of eight thousand children. The sermon, 
on this occasion, which from my favorable position 
I distinctly heard, was preached by the Right 



LONDON. 169 

Reverend Bishop of Worcester, from the appro- 
priate text in the sixth chapter of Deuteronomy, 
sixth and seventh verses. 

We dined, this day, with our excellent friend 
Thomas Walker, Esq., who lives in the neighbor- 
hood of Mr. Piper, on Denmark Hill. Mr. 
Walker has retired from business on a handsome 
property. While enjoying in a high degree, with 
his amiable lady, all the comforts and even the 
elegancies of life, he is, at the same time, the 
liberal patron of the religious and benevolent in- 
stitutions of the age. He attends on Mr. Mel- 
ville's ministry at Camden Chapel, a short distance 
from his residence, though his friends and con- 
nections are principally among the Dissenters. 
At his hospitable table, we met with Dr. and 
Mrs. Fletcher, Rev. Mr. Burnett and lady, Rev. 
Mr. Arundel and family, and Rev. Mr. Ellis of 
the Missionary Society. 



12 



CHAPTER VII. 

EXCURSION INTO THE COUNTRY. 

On Saturday the 6th of June, we left London 
on an excursion to Windsor. The day was de- 
lightful, and after a pleasant ride we arrived at 
Windsor, a distance of little more than twenty 
miles, before dinner. After dinner, I called on 
Mr. Stoughton, who is associated with the vener- 
able Mr. Redford, in the pastoral care of the 
independent church in Windsor. He accompa- 
nied us to the Castle, and pointed out to us the 
various objects of interest connected with the 
royal residence. In the evening, Dr. Humphrey 
joined us from London, and the next day, we 
both preached in the Dissenting Chapel, and 
united, with the little band of Christian disciples, 
in commemorating the death of our common Lord. 
Mr. Stoughton, the junior pastor, was providen- 






WINDSOR. 171 

tially detained from public worship, and it de- 
volved upon me to break bread to this little flock, 
and to address them on the value of their privi- 
leges, and the extent of their obligations. Many 
a tear was mingled with this feast of love — and my 
recollections of Windsor will, henceforth, be more 
pleasantly associated with a number of its praying 
inhabitants, than with the splendor of its palace 
and the pomp of its king. 

The dissenting interest at Windsor, though not 
large, is respectable. There is but one place of 
worship. A new and commodious chapel has 
been erected within a few years, and is well filled 
with a serious and attentive congregation. Mr. 
Redford, the father of Dr. Redford of Worcester, 
has been the pastor of the church for many years, 
and by his uniform and consistent conduct, has 
disarmed prejudice and gained the esteem of those 
who differ from him in their views of ecclesiastical 
order. Having borne the burden and heat of the 
day, the close of his life is cheered by the active, 
zealous, and acceptable co-operation of his youth- 
ful colleague, who labors with him as a son in 
the gospel. 

On Monday morning, we parted from our ex- 
cellent friend, Dr. Humphrey, who proceeded on 
his way to Southampton to embark for Havre, 



172 ETON COLLEGE. 

and spend a short time on the Continent. We 
returned to London to make a few arrangements, 
previous to a more extended tour which we in- 
tended to make in the west of England. 

We left the metropolis again on Tuesday morn- 
ing, by the way of Windsor, that we might be 
present at the triennial celebration called the 
Montem, at Eton College. We arrived, however, 
too late to attend the public exhibition and to 
witness the procession. The ceremony is one of 
the relics of the olden time, and therefore, though 
ridiculous enough in itself, is deserving of passing- 
notice. The young gentlemen, connected with 
the College, are permitted to dress themselves in 
the most showy and fantastic manner. Some of 
them officiate as collectors of money, or salt- 
bearers. They go about during the day with 
their salt bags, and levy contributions on all they 
meet, furnishing a small piece of paper, or ticket, 
to each contributor, bearing this inscription. Mos 
pro lege. 1835. Vivant Rex et Regitia, — which 
is worn in the hat, or about the person, to prevent 
any further solicitation. In the course of the 
morning a procession is formed of the students, 
(with the exception of the salt-bearers, who are dis- 
tinguished by their peculiar dress, and who are con- 



ETON COLLEGE. 173 

stantly employed in the streets and roads on the 
business of their vocation,) who proceed from the 
College to a small rising ground, a mile or more 
distant, dignified by the name of Salt Hill, or 
Montem, where an address is delivered by one of 
the students, in presence of the friends and patrons 
of the institution. The King and the royal family, 
and many of the nobility, attend on this occasion. 
The King usually drops a purse, containing fifty 
sovereigns, into the bag of one of the salt-bearers. 
The money, thus collected, which is said, some- 
times, to amount to one thousand pounds sterling, 
is devoted to the education, at one of the univer- 
sities, of some indigent and deserving member of 
their own community. 

Although we were disappointed in not seeing 
the procession and hearing the address, we were 
gratified with a very good opportunity of seeing 
the King and Queen, the Duchess of Kent, the 
Princess Victoria, (heiress apparent to the crown,) 
Prince George of Cambridge, and several other 
members of the royal family, who passed us in 
their open barouches on their way to the Montem. 
The day was excessively sultry, and we were not 
sorry to leave the scene of noise and confusion, 
and to take the coach for Reading. 

After a delightful ride of twenty miles, we ar- 



174 READING. 

rived at that neat and quiet town, and took up our 
lodgings at a very comfortable inn. I immediately 
called on Mr. Hinton, the Baptist minister, whose 
father I well knew many years since in Oxford, 
and from whom I received much kind attention. 
Though then a small boy, he remembered my 
being at his father's house. 

Mr. Hinton is a man of quick and lively 
talent, and of a remarkably active and perse- 
vering spirit. He enters with great energy into 
the religious and political controversies of the 
day, and while he has many warm friends and 
supporters, he is not without his enemies and 
traducers. In his theological views, Mr. Hinton, 
it is thought, is somewhat inclined to certain 
American peculiarities respecting human ability, 
&c. As an author, he is favorably known among 
us by his little book on Revivals, and in Britain 
by several larger works. 

I called also the next morning, on the Rev. Mr. 
Sherman, whom I had seen in London during the 
anniversaries. We received from him and Mrs. 
Sherman much kindness and hospitality, and were 
introduced by them to several excellent ladies, 
who were much interested in the subject of Ma- 
ternal Associations, two of which exist in Reading, 



READING. 175 

one in Mr. Hinton's, and the other in Mr. Sher- 
man's congregation. 

Reading is a highly favored town. The gospel, 
at the present time, is preached in every place of 
worship, both in the Establishment, and among the 
Dissenters. There are three places of worship 
for Dissenters ; one for Baptists, (Mr. Hinton's,) 
one for Calvinistic Methodists, (Mr. Sherman's,) 
and one for Independents, (Messrs. Douglass and 
Legge.) These ministers and churches exist in 
the most perfect harmony. They maintain reli- 
gious services on three successive evenings in the 
week, in their respective places of worship, and as 
I was expected to be in town, I was invited by 
Mr. Hinton to preach Mr. Legge's lecture on 
Wednesday evening. 

In the morning of Wednesday, we rode a few 
miles into the country to visit an esteemed friend 
of my brother's, residing at Beach Hill Cottage, 
where we were most kindly received. We re- 
turned at an early hour to Reading, and having 
preached for Mr. Legge, I spent the evening at 
Mr. Sherman's, in a most delightful manner, with 
a few Christian friends. 

Mr. Sherman is a most amiable and talented 
man, and has a large congregation devotedly at- 
tached to him. As a preacher, he is one of the 



176 HENLEY. 

most acceptable in England. He has declined an 
invitation to supply the place of the late Rowland 
Hill, at Surrey Chapel, and prefers to remain with 
his own people, exerting a most happy influence, 
not only in Reading, but on the surrounding 
country. He has published a number of sermons, 
and is the author of several highly approved works 
on practical religion. 

The next morning, we took a private convey- 
ance to Henley, a distance of eight miles from 
Reading, on the way to Oxford. Henley, on 
Thames, is rather a pleasant town, and is the res- 
idence of the Rev. Robert Bolton, a countryman 
of ours, who married a daughter of the Rev. Wil- 
liam Jay of Bath, and is now the pastor of a 
Dissenting congregation in this pleasant village. 
His house is delightfully situated in the same en- 
closure with his chapel ; and the grounds around it, 
embracing the neat cemetery of his congregation, 
are laid out with great beauty and taste by its 
present worthy occupant. Mr. Bolton is sur- 
rounded by a large and interesting family. We 
passed the day with them, very pleasantly, and 
towards evening took a post-chaise as far as 
Benson, a distance of about twelve miles, where 
we found one of the most quiet and comfortable 
inns in England. 



HENLEY. 177 

Mr. Bolton, though apparently delightfully 
situated in his cottage, chapel, and lovely 
family, sighs to return to his native land, 
where he can have better opportunities of edu- 
cating and settling his numerous family. He is 
sick at heart of the exclusiveness and bigotry of 
the established church, and longs to breathe the 
atmosphere of religious liberty in the western 
world. 

The Dissenters in England are, at the present 
moment, looked upon with more than ordinary 
•jealousy and suspicion. They are regarded as a 
political party, and are viewed by many as in- 
imical to the British Constitution. The prejudices 
against them have been strengthened by their 
alliance with O'Connell, and other radical members 
of the House of Commons, in their efforts to resist 
ecclesiastical oppression, and to secure the enjoy- 
ment of their religious privileges and rights. The 
occasions for dissent from the established church 
have been of late years much reduced by the 
increase of the number of evangelical clergymen. 
Thirty years ago, and such men as Romaine and 
Newton and Cadogan and Scott, were rarely to be 
found in the pulpits of the establishment. Now 
the number is greatly increased of those who have 
imbibed their spirit, and preach the same sound 



178 HENLEY. 

and holy doctrine. The consequence is, that the 
friends of vital and experimental religion are not 
under the same necessity for withdrawing from the 
establishment and erecting places for separate 
worship, as they once were. The dissenting 
congregations, at present, owe their increase from 
the established church, not so much from a regard 
to evangelical preaching, as from some other, and 
perhaps less laudable motive. This has occasioned 
a strong prejudice against them in the minds of 
the great body of the friends of the established 
church. They remember the comparatively few 
instances of dissent from selfish and political con- 
siderations, while they overlook the fact, that a 
large and respectable portion of their dissenting 
brethren are conscientious in their principles, having 
embraced them themselves after a candid and en- 
lightened investigation ; or, as is doubtless fre- 
quently the case, having received them from their 
pious and exemplary ancestors through successive 
generations. But whatever, and however ground- 
less, may be the cause, there is no doubt of the 
fact, there is a great, and I think increasing pre- 
judice against the Dissenters among the great body 
of the people connected with the church of En- 
gland. 

There is another source of disaffection towards 



HENLEY. 179 

the Dissenters, which, perhaps, more than any- 
other cause, tends to make them unpopular, and 
to draw upon them the odium of the community, 
and that is — the controversy on the subject of the 
union of the church with the state. The Dissen- 
ters contend that religion is capable of supporting 
itself without the aid of the civil power, and 
plead the successful example of the American 
churches, in support of their position. The 
friends of the church, on the other hand, insist 
upon this connection, as not only lawful, but 
expedient and salutary, and deny that the want of 
a National Establishment in America is favorable 
to the cause of religion and morality. This dis- 
pute is carried on with great warmth, on both sides, 
and frequently with too much bitterness and party 
spirit. 

This controversy is not confined to the 
church of England and the Dissenters from its 
pale, but is agitated with equal zeal, and I fear 
with greater acrimony, on the other side of the 
Tweed. Like most important and protracted 
controversies, there is much to be said on both 
sides of the question. Although by an American 
the necessity or expediency of an ecclesiastical 
establishment cannot be admitted for a moment, I 
can easily conceive that to the mind of the consci- 



180 HENLEY. 

entious Englishman, or Scotchman, the subject of 
the dissolution of the connection between church 
and state may be surrounded, with many, and to 
his mind inseparable difficulties. 

There is a vast difference between the expedi- 
ency of setting up an Establishment in the United 
States of America, where the feelings of the 
people, as well as the genius of the government, 
are diametrically opposed to it, and the propriety 
of dissolving it entirely in a country, where it has 
existed for ages, and incorporated itself with the 
habits and usages, the manners and customs, the 
sentiments and feelings, of the great body of the 
people. 

Although decidedly and ex animo a friend to the 
Voluntary Principle, (as the subject in dispute 
here is technically called,) I have been frequently 
thrown into situations, during my short residence 
in England, which have been not a little embar- 
rassing, and I have carefully avoided committing 
myself to a controversy, which depends for its 
merits upon circumstances and localities, with 
which, as a stranger in a foreign land, I could not 
be expected to be fully acquainted. 

But whatever may be the result of this impor- 
tant controversy, there can be no doubt that it 
renders the present situation of our Dissenting 



OXFORD. 181 

brethren trying and uncomfortable, and that some 
of them are ready to exclaim, like our good brother 
in Henley — " Oh that I had wings like a dove, 
then would I fly away and be at rest." 

We left our comfortable inn at Benson, on 
Friday morning, in a post-chaise for Oxford, a 
distance of 1 1 miles. On our way we stopped at 
a small village, called Dorchester, a name which 
brought to our minds a thousand delightful associ- 
ations. This ancient town is at present, in a very 
reduced and decayed state. It was once, it is 
said, the seat of a Bishop, and contained no less 
than seven parish churches. It has now only about 
1,000 inhabitants, and but one church. That, 
however, is a fine old building, and well deserving 
the attention of the inquisitive traveller. 

There are two places of this name in England, 
one in the county of Oxford, and the other in the 
county of Dorset. The latter, from which Dor- 
chester in New England took its name, I shall 
have occasion particularly to mention in another 
place. 

On our arrival at Oxford, we immediately em- 
ployed ourselves in visiting a few of the nineteen 
colleges and five halls, which compose this great 
and far-famed university. The few hours we had 
allotted ourselves in this city of collegiate palaces 



182 CHELTENHAM. 

would not admit of seeing much ; but we em- 
ployed them to the best advantage. We visited 
Christ Church and its beautiful meadows, went 
through Magdalen College and strolled in Addison's 
straight and shaded walk — passed into New 
College, and admired, with fresh delight, its 
painted windows — had a glimpse of All Souls and 
Queen's Colleges — the Rateliffe Library — the 
Theatre and the Clarendon Press ; and went into 
St. Mary's Church, where the officers and students 
of the University worship on the Sabbath and on 
other public occasions. The weather was delight- 
ful, and although our stay was limited, we saw 
much in a short time. 

As I had twice visited Oxford before, and once 
spent ten days in examining its many objects of 
classical interest, I the less regretted the arrival of 
the coach from London to Cheltenham, by which 
we proposed to pursue our journey to that beau- 
tiful and fashionable watering place. In less than 
four hours, we performed a journey of 38 miles, 
and arrived at Cheltenham at 8 P. M. 

The speed and comfort of travelling in England 
cannot be too highly commended. The roads, 
with a very few exceptions, are admirable, and the 
coaches bound over them with astonishing velocity. 
The horses, which are usually changed every ten 



CHELTENHAM. 183 

miles, and sometimes less, are kept in fine condi- 
tion, and the harnesses, with their polished brass 
and well oiled leather, form a striking contrast to 
the ropes and other rigging of a continental dili- 
gence. The coachmen are generally civil, and 
some of them very intelligent. They expect, 
however, always to be remembered, and the fee 
you are obliged to pay, added to the extravagant 
fare, renders the expense of travelling in England 
much higher than in any other part of the world. 

It is not surprising that our good friend Dr. 
Reed was so annoyed by the mode of travelling in 
America, and by the unseasonable hours at which 
he was started from his rest to commence his 
journey. It is true the accommodations for trav- 
elling in England are far superior to those in our 
own country — but there are some advantages in 
the construction of our coaches, which, in my 
opinion, are superior to theirs. 

An English stage-coach usually carries four 
inside, and eight or more outside. If you take 
the inside seat, you pay nearly double the price, 
and can see nothing of the country, excepting the 
peeps you may catch by letting down the window 
over the door. If you take the outside, you may 
indeed see the country, if the weather is fair, but 
you are exposed to the sun, and to clouds of dust, 



184 CHELTENHAM. 

and, in wet weather, (which is more common than 
fair in England,) to showers of rain ; not to say 
any thing of the danger, if you happen to be 
drowsy, of falling from the top of the coach. 
Whereas the American stage-coaches (many of 
which I may be allowed to say, notwithstanding 
I may appear to differ from my excellent brother, 
are exceedingly comfortable) are so contrived as 
to shelter you from the sun and rain, and at the 
same time, to afford you the opportunity of seeing 
the country to the best advantage. The coach- 
men I have generally found civil and attentive; 
though it is true I have never travelled in the 
western country ; and if, in a few instances, they 
have been otherwise, the inconvenience is more 
than balanced by the absence of that everlasting 
strain — ? Please remember the coachman, — please 
remember the guard,' — with which you are con- 
tinually assailed in England. 

The practice of feeing servants, which is uni- 
versal in England, is often very annoying to our 
countrymen on their first arrival in England — but 
it is best to submit to it with philosophic patience, 
as it cannot be avoided. When it is considered 
that the whole, or by far the greatest part, of the 
support of coachmen, waiters, chambermaids, 
porters, &c. &c. is derived from these contributions 



CHELTENHAM. 185 

of passengers and travellers, the expected gratuity- 
will be bestowed with less reluctance. 

Cheltenham is one of the most delightful inland 
watering places in England. At some seasons of 
the year it is much resorted to by fashionable 
society, who come in pursuit of pleasure rather 
than health. Its waters, however, are said to be 
very beneficial in many complaints, and the ap- 
pearance of many valetudinarians, drawn by hand 
in their sedan and garden chairs, along the spacious 
and shaded walks, evince the estimation in which 
they are held by the diseased and afflicted. 

I called in the evening to see my old friend and 
countryman, Henry Bromfield, Esq., who resides 
at this place in comfortable retirement from active 
business, enjoying at a very advanced age, unim- 
paired health of body and vigor of mind. I called 
also on the Rev. Mr. Campbell, one of the Dis- 
senting ministers of the place, who invited me, 
with great earnestness, to remain and preach for 
him on the Sabbath ; I was exceedingly sorry not 
to be able to accede to his wishes, but I had made 
all my arrangements to spend the Sabbath in 
Bristol. We accordingly left Cheltenham, though 
with reluctance, at nine o'clock on Saturday 
morning, for Bristol, where we arrived, a distance 
of forty miles, in season for dinner. 
13 



186 BRISTOL. 

Bristol was much changed since I first knew it, 
thirty years ago. Most of the friends of my youth 
were numbered with the dead. The ministers 
whom I knew in those days, Dr. Ryland and the 
Rev. Messrs. Lowell and Thorpe, were gone, and 
their places filled by others. My relatives, too, 
with whom I occasionally resided, were dead, 
or removed from the place, and there was little 
left to remind me of former days. After dinner, 
we went in search of two young ladies, whom 
we had the happiness to know in America, and 
who were now residing in this neighborhood for 
the benefit of their health. We found them in 
pleasant lodgings, at a place called Redland, about 
two miles out of^ town. The interview was one 
of mutual interest. They had once constituted a 
part of my pastoral charge. We had, together, 
passed through scenes of trial, and enjoyed much 
social and domestic intercourse in a far distant 
land. The memory of dear departed friends 
rushed upon our recollection. We mingled our 
tears, and rejoiced with each other in the mercy 
and loving kindness of Him, who had watched 
over us in our respective wanderings, and brought 
us together in circumstances of so much peace 
and comfort. At a late hour we returned to our 
lodgings at the Talbot Inn in Bristol. 



BRISTOL. 187 

The next morning (the Sabbath) I called on 
Mr. Legge, the minister of the independent 
meeting at Bridge street, — the successor of my 
old friend, Mr. Lowell, who received me very- 
kindly, and invited me to preach for him in the 
evening. 

In the forenoon I heard Mr. Hamilton, of 
Leeds, in a new chapel, recently erected by a 
portion of the late Mr. Thorpe's congregation. 
Mr. Hamilton is considered a popular preacher. 
His manner is showy, and his style rather diffuse, 
but his sermon was sound and evangelical. — In 
the afternoon, I stepped into Dr. Ryland's (more 
recently Robert Hall's) place of worship, in Broad 
Mead. It was ordinance day. I retired into the 
gallery, and witnessed the celebration of the sa- 
cramental supper to a respectable number of com- 
municants. 

In the evening I preached at Bridge street, for 
Mr. Legge. In the same pulpit I repeatedly 
preached in the early part of my life. But most 
of the congregation who then heard me, with their 
beloved pastor, were numbered with the dead. 
A few of them, however, remained, and collected 
around me, after the service was closed, to express 
their recognition, and to offer their affectionate 
salutations* 



188 CHEPSTOW. 

I spent the evening with Mr. Wills, a leading 
member of the Tabernacle congregation, to whom 
I was introduced by the Rev. Mr. Choules of 
New Bedford, and in whose lady I was happy 
to find one of the friends of my early life, who 
formerly resided in London. 

We breakfasted the next morning with Mr. 
Waldo, an American merchant, for many years 
settled in Bristol. We received from him and his 
family, then, as well as formerly, much kind at- 
tention. It was an interesting fact to me, that Mr. 
Waldo was a native of my parish, and born within 
a few rods of my place of worship. From Mr. 
Waldo's we went to Redland to call on the Misses 
B. and made an arrangement for them to accom- 
pany us to Chepstow and Tinturn Abbey. 

After taking an early dinner, we engaged a post- 
chaise to take us to the old ferry on the banks of 
the Severn. We then crossed the river in a 
steam-boat, where a sociable, or open carriage, 
awaited us to convey us to Chepstow. We arrived 
at this place, distinguished for the ruins of its an- 
cient castle and the beauty of its surrounding 
scenery, soon after nightfall. The town was all 
bustle and confusion, in consequence of its being 
the last day of one of those village fairs so dis- 
graceful to the country, and so prejudicial to the 



CHEPSTOW. 189 

morals of the community. Several hundreds of 
people were collected in the square opposite the 
inn, to witness the most disgusting and revolting 
exhibitions of itinerant theatricals. We were glad 
to escape from this scene of tumult and folly to 
visit the fine old ruin of Chepstow castle. 

This interesting remnant of a by-gone age, is 
situated on the brow of a precipice, overhanging 
the bank of the Wye. At the south east angle of 
the first court, is a round tower, called Henry 
Marten's tower, which was the keep or citadel 
where that distinguished regicide was confined for 
life. Marten was decidedly an advocate for a 
republican government, and during the turbulent 
reign of that unfortunate monarch, Charles the 
First, was most active in opposing the royalists ; 
indeed, he was among the first, who assisted in 
bringing their sovereign to the scaffold. 

After the restoration, Marten surrendered on the 
proclamation, and was tried as a regicide at the 
Old Bailey. He confessed the fact of attending 
the trial, and signing the warrant for the king's 
death, but denied any malicious intention. He 
was, however, found guilty, and petitioned for 
pardon, which he obtained on condition of per- 
petual imprisonment. 



190 CHEPSTOW. 

Marten lived to the advanced age of seventy- 
eight, and died by a stroke of apoplexy. He was 
buried in the chancel of Chepstow church. — 
Over his ashes was placed a stone, with this quaint 
inscription composed by himself. 

Here, 

September the 9, in the year of our Lord 1680, was 

buried a true Englishman, 

who in Berkshire was well known 

to love his country's freedom 'bove his own ; 

but living immured full 20 year, 

had time to write, as doth appear, — 

His Epitaph. 

H ere or elsewhere (all 's one to you and me,) 
E arth, air or water gripes my ghostless dust, 
N one know how soon to be by fire set free. 
R eader, if you an oft tried rule will trust, 
Y ou'll gladly do and suffer what you must. 

M y life was spent in serving you and you 

A nd death's my pay, (it seems) and welcome too. 

R evenge destroying but itself, while I, 

T o birds of prey leave my old cage, and fly. 

E xamples preach to th' eye, care then (mine says) 

N ot how you end, but how you spend your days. 



CHEPSTOW. 191 

In visiting this interesting spot we were re- 
minded of the following lines, of the present poet 
laureate : 

" For thirty years secluded from mankind 
Here Marten lingered. Often have these walls 
Echoed his footsteps, as, with even tread, 
He paced around his prison. Not to him 
Did nature's fair varieties exist ; 
He never saw the sun's delightful beams 
Save when through yon high bars 
He poured a sad and broken splendor." 

The general appearance of the ruin is admi- 
rable, and strongly reminds one of the days of 
olden time ; and the view from its remaining 
turrets and battlements, of the river Wye, is inde- 
scribably beautiful. We lingered among its ven- 
erable and ivy mantled masonry, until darkness 
concealed from our view the little that remained 
of this once splendid residence of royal pomp and 
power, and we returned to our inn, not to rest, 
but to be annoyed by the incessant tin kettle 
sound of the theatrical stroller's drum. 

Little refreshed with sleep, we rose with the 
morning's dawn, and at 5 o'clock started in a neat 
and convenient sociable for Tintern Abbey. On 
our way we passed the disturbers of our peace in 



192 CHEPSTOW. 

their wagons and caravans, who had closed their 
engagements at Chepstow, and were proceeding to 
mar the quiet of some other country village, by 
their foolish waggery and their ridiculous enact- 
ments. The kings and queens of the preceding 
evening, now laid aside their gaudy robes, some 
of which were dangling about their vehicles, along 
side their kitchen utensils and other articles of 
household furniture. It was amusing enough to 
see the valiant hero transformed into the swarthy 
Egyptian, and the tender heroine engaged in the 
culinary department, preparing the morning meal 
for her hungry associates. 

We passed by the splendid and picturesque 
grounds of Pierceland ; but the- early hour pre- 
vented our admission within the gates. We 
reached the little inn, near Tintern Abbey, 
between 7 and 8 o'clock, and having ordered 
breakfast, pursued our ride a few miles on the 
banks of the Wye, where we were enchanted with 
the rich and variegated scenery. Having allowed 
the good people of the inn sufficient time to pre- 
pare our repast, we returned and partook of a 
substantial breakfast, and then, while our horses 
were recruiting, walked to the adjoining Abbey. 
It was a lovely morning, and every thing in nature 
conspired to render our visit to this far-famed and 



CHEPSTOW. 193 

most beautiful relic of antiquity interesting and 
delightful. 

Nothing can exceed the beauty of this venerable 
ruin, around which the ivy twines in various di- 
rections. Its noble arched window frames of stone 
and trellis work rise in the centre of its pointed 
roofless walls, on the top of which the rooks main- 
tain their uninterrupted reign, singing, as one of our 
party remarked, a requiem over the ruins. The 
immediate approach to the Abbey is disagreeable 
and confined, as a train of poor cottages and the 
works of an iron foundry are almost ingrafted on 
the ruins. But when our guide, (an old woman, 
who inhabited one of these cottages,) unlocked 
the entrance door, a grassy sward, neatly kept, 
presented itself, on the sides of which rested huge 
columns of dark stone, covered with ivy. Both 
nature and art seemed to have blended their 
powers in producing an object beautiful and sub- 
lime. The walls are almost entire, the roof only 
has fallen in. Most of the columns, which divided 
the aisles, are still standing. Of these which have 
dropped down, the bases remain, every one exactly 
in its place ; and in the middle of the nave, four 
lofty arches, which once supported the tower, rise 
above the rest, each now reduced to a narrow 
border of stone, but completely preserving its form. 



194 CHEPSTOW. 

Monkish tombstones and the monuments of benefac- 
tors, long since forgotten, appeared above the green 
sward. On one side stood a dilapidated figure 
of the Virgin, and on another a stone effigy of the 
founder of the Abbey, greatly impaired by time — 
broken chapiters, with carving on stone, represent- 
ing oak leaves lay along between the pillars. 
Some of our party ascended the walls by a spiral 
stair-case, and walked along the upper narrow 
gallery to the top of the building, where grass and 
shrubs formed a covered and pleasant pathway. 
From the elevation a most delightful view was 
obtained of the Wye, and the beautiful country 
through which it meanders. 

Tintern Abbey, was founded in the year 1131, 
for the monks of the Cisterian order, by Walter de 
Clare, who dedicated it to the virgin Mary. It is 
now the property of the Duke of Beaufort. The 
building is cruciform, and is an excellent specimen 
of the English architecture in its greatest purity. 
The floor, being covered with a smooth turf, pre- 
serves the original level of the church, exhibits 
the beauty of its proportions, heightens the effect 
of the grey stone, gives a relief to the clustered 
pillars, and affords an easy access to every part. 

Although the exterior appearance of the ruins 
is not equal to the inside view, yet in some posi- 



CHEPSTOW. 195 

tions they present themselves with considerable 
effect, and from one view in particular, the grand 
east window, wholly covered with ivy and shrubs, 
rises like the portal of a majestic edifice, embow- 
ered with wood. 

We lingered about this interesting ruin, as long 
as our time would permit — and as we trod its still 
and verdant area, interrupted by no other sound 
than the occasional croaking of the only inhabitants 
of its ivy mantled towers, we were reminded of 
the lines of the poet. 

" How many hearts have here grown cold, 
That sleep these mouldering stones among ! 
How many beads have here been told ! 
How many matins here been sung ! 

On this rude stone, by time long broke, 
I think I see some pilgrim kneel, 
I think I see the censer smoke,* 
I think I hear the solemn peal. 

But here no more soft music floats, 

No holy anthems chanted now ; 

All hushed, except the ringdove's note, 

Low murmuring from yon beechen bough." 

We left this fascinating spot with reluctance, 
and entering our carriage, which awaited us at the 



196 CHEPSTOW. 

gate, took the road to the Wynde Cliff on our way- 
back to Chepstow. 

The Wynde Cliff, is a name given to a range of 
elevated ground, covered with shrubs and trees, 
from the summit of which you have one of the 
finest and most extensive prospects in England. 
We left our carriage at the bottom of the hill, and 
were conducted into a beautiful little building, 
called the Moss Cottage. It is lined throughout 
with moss, and furnished with chairs and tables 
covered with the same material, of rude and gro- 
tesque appearance. Here we obtained a very 
civil and obliging woman for a guide, who con- 
ducted us up the cliff by a winding path. The 
ascent was long, and had it not been relieved by 
some of the most beautiful views we ever beheld, 
would have been tedious and fatiguing. From 
the summit, where we rested, we beheld in admi- 
ration the Wye under our feet, winding its way 
through the most beautiful meadows, and in the 
distance, the broader Severn stretching out towards 
the sea. The prospect was somewhat similar to 
that of the Connecticut from Mount Holyoke in 
Massachusetts, and of the Hudson from Catskill in 
New York. Its superiority consisted, not in the 
beauty of its river, for the Wye is a dull and narrow^ 
stream, when compared with the Connecticut, and 



HENBURY. 197 

more especially with the Hudson, but in the rich 
verdure of the lawns and meadows, in the superior 
foliage of the trees and shrubs, and in the good 
taste and beauty of its houses and cottages, which 
every where met the gratified and admiring eye. 
We returned by a different path from that by 
which we ascended, and found the carriage waiting 
for us at the bottom of the hill, to take us to 
Chepstow, where we arrived about 12 o'clock. 

On our return from Chepstow to Bristol, we 
directed our coachman to take us round by Hen- 
bury, that we might have the opportunity of 
seeing a number of beautiful cottages, which were 
erected and endowed by a philanthropic individual 
for the accommodation of reduced but respectable 
families. 

These cottages, which are nine in number, are 
built with the greatest taste. No two of them are 
exactly alike. They surround a beautiful and ex- 
tensive lawn of two or three acres, which is en- 
closed by a wall, at the gate of which is a porter's 
lodge. We entered several of the cottages, and 
conversed with their inmates who appeared to be 
very contented and happy. 

This little excursion was truly delightful. We 
parted with our young friends, who had contrib- 
uted so much to our enjoyment, with much regret, 



198 BATH. 

and in the afternoon, took our departure for Bath, 
where we arrived before night. 

Bath is well known, as one of the oldest and 
most frequented watering places in England. Its 
splendid pump room, its magnificent crescents, and 
its fashionable society, were to me objects of trifling 
interest, when compared with a name, for many- 
years associated with it in my recollection. I left 
the natural and artificial objects of curiosity in this 
ancient city to others, and sought an interview 
with William Jay. I had the happiness of finding 
him at home, and of spending the evening with 
him alone. The sweetness and gentleness of his 
manners, the richness and copiousness of his con- 
versation, and the admirable good sense and prac- 
tical wisdom of his remarks, gave wings to time, 
and on looking at my watch, I was astonished to 
find how rapidly it had passed. 

I had the happiness of knowing Mr. Jay nearly 
thirty years since, and of receiving from him an 
approbation to preach the gospel. He was the 
only one remaining, of those esteemed and excel- 
lent men who united with him in giving me that 
testimonial. Time had not made so much altera- 
tion in his personal appearance as I expected. 
Although advancing into the vale of years, his 
popularity as a preacher and author is by no means 



EXETER. 199 

on the wane. He is constantly called upon to 
preach on public occasions, and I trust it will be 
long before the religious world shall cease to be 
enlightened and edified by the productions of his 
pen. 

We left Bath the next morning for Exeter, a 
distance of above eighty miles ; which we easily 
accomplished in one day. The weather was fine, 
and from the top of the coach we had an uninter- 
rupted view of the rich and variegated scenery, 
through which we passed. The road from Bath 
to Exeter is considered one of the most delightful 
in England, and the succession of noblemen's and 
gentlemen's houses — the towers and spires of the 
churches — and the constant variety of hill and 
dale, stream and rivulet, which, on every side, 
meet the eye, contributed to lessen the fatigue 
with which a journey of such length, on the out- 
side of a coach, is necessarily attended. 

We spent the night at Exeter, and in the morn- 
ing took the coach to Teignmouth, a distance of 
about fifteen miles, where we intended to spend 
the day and return to Exeter, by the same con- 
veyance, the next morning. We found our coach- 
man, with whom I took a seat on the box, very 
respectable, intelligent and communicative. He 
( gave us every information we could desire of the 



200 TEIGNMOUTH. 

places through which we passed. On our arrival 
at Teignmouth, where the coach stopped to 
change horses, we concluded not to remain, agree- 
ably to our original intention, but to proceed with 
our worthy and well informed coachman, to Dart- 
mouth, which completed his journey, and to return 
with him the next day to Exeter. Nothing could 
exceed the beauty and interest of this day's ride. 

Dawlish, Teignmouth, and Torquay, are each 
of them, fashionable watering places, and command 
most romantic and extensive marine views. We 
arrived at Dartmouth before night, and took a boat 
to visit its ancient castle and fort at the entrance 
of the river Dart. The next day we returned by 
the same route, which lost nothing of its beauty 
and interest. At Teignmouth, where we stopped 
a few minutes, I met with the Rev. Mr. Roper, 
the Dissenting minister of the place. This beau- 
tiful little spot was rendered particularly interest- 
ing to us, as having once been the residence of 
some highly esteemed and valued friends of my 
own congregation. 

On our return to Exeter, we visited its fine 
Cathedral, and called upon a few friends. I had 
not time to see any of the Dissenting ministers, 
excepting the Rev. Dr. Payne, who has the 
charge of a small seminary for the education of 



EXETER. 201 

young men for the ministry. He received his 
education at Glasgow, with Dr. H. F. Burder, 
and Dr. Joseph Fletcher of London, and is highly 
esteemed among the brethren of his denomination 
for his theological learning and classical attain- 
ments. 

Exeter, the chief city in the County of Devon- 
shire, contains a Cathedral, and no less than 
twenty-three parish churches, and a large number 
of dissenting places of worship. The first minis- 
ter at Dorchester in New England, the Rev. John 
Warham, was from this place. In consulting 
the Exeter Directory, I found several names that 
have long prevailed among us. It was from this 
place and neighborhood, doubtless, that some of 
the ancestors of my beloved people emigrated to 
the western world, and it was with no ordinary 
emotions that I looked forward to the approaching 
Sabbath, which I expected to spend in Dorches- 
ter, in the County of Dorset, from which the 
place of my own residence took its name. We 
accordingly left Exeter on Saturday morning in 
the coach for Weymouth, passing through Sid- 
mouth, where my old and excellent friend, the 
Rev. David Parker, preached and died. 

We soon found, without consulting our map, 
that we were leaving the rich and fertile and 
14> 



202 WEYMOUTH. 

beautiful County of Devon, with its green lanes, 
its high and verdant hedges, and its varied and 
changing surface of hill and dale, for the long and 
dreary common, and the comparatively light and 
barren soil of its less lovely and attractive neighbor 
—the County of Dorset. 

Devonshire is, without exception, the most 
beautiful and picturesque county in England. Its 
soil is uncommonly rich, and in the highest state 
of cultivation. We were highly favored in the 
season, in which we visited this beautiful part of the 
Island. The weather was uncommonly fine, and 
the air soft and balmy. Not a drop of rain im- 
peded our progress. A few gentle showers during 
the night laid the dust of the preceding day. 
The haying season was just commencing, and the 
merry haymakers, consisting in this country of 
both sexes, added much to the interest of the " 
scene. It was, also, the season for the early 
fruits, and the large and well-flavored straw- 
berry, with the delicious Devonshire cream, of 
which we had so often heard, if not among the 
most intellectual, were not among the least taste- 
ful of our enjoyments. In fact nothing occurred 
in this delightful county to mar our pleasures, or 
to lessen our satisfaction. 

Weymouth is about sixty miles from Exeter, 



WEYMOUTH. 203 

and is one of the most popular watering places in 
the kingdom. Its fine beach affords a beautiful 
promenade, and in the fashionable season, which 
had not yet arrived, is crowded with visitors, who 
resort here to enjoy the salubrity of the fresh 
breezes from the sea. We arrived here in the 
afternoon, and after tea, took a little open car- 
riage to convey us to Dorchester, a distance of 
eight miles. This carriage, which was very light 
and airy, will hold four, and is drawn by one 
horse, upon which is mounted a lad, less than 
fourteen years of age, with his red jacket and 
jockey cap and plated spurs and smacking whip. 
Thus equipped, our smart little postillion rattled us 
alons: over a smooth and level road, and in less 
than an hour landed us safely at the Antelope 
Inn in Dorchester. Of this inn I cannot speak in 
terms of too great praise. The inns in England 
are generally good, but many of them are extrava- 
gant, and the most extravagant are not always the 
best ; but the Antelope Inn in Dorchester, where 
I spent one of the most quiet and delightful Sab- 
baths I passed during my tour, we found excellent 
in every thing that constitutes a good hotel. The 
charges were reasonable, and the landlord and 
waiters civil and respectful. On Monday morn- 
ing we left our pleasant parlor, with the comforts 



204 DORCHESTER. 

by which we were surrounded, much satisfied 
with the attention we received. 

On my arrival in Dorchester I immediately 
called upon the Dissenting minister of the place, 
the Rev. Mr. Anderson, who received me with 
great cordiality and kindness. Mr. Anderson's 
congregation is small and feeble, and has had to 
struggle with many difficulties and embarrassments. 
Since his connection with them, it has somewhat 
increased, and its prospects are, at present, en- 
couraging. His place of worship, like many of 
the old meeting-houses of the Dissenters, is most 
obscurely situated in a narrow and unfrequented 
street, and seems to have been erected on a plan 
purposely to avoid observation. His dwelling- 
house, which is small and contracted, constitutes a 
part of the premises, and belongs to the proprie- 
tors of the Chapel. The use of this, with an 
uncertain salary, seldom exceeding £100 per ann. 
constitutes the whole of the living of this excel- 
lent man. I mention these circumstances because 
they apply to a very considerable number of Dis- 
senting ministers and congregations. Except in 
cities and large towns, the meeting-houses or 
chapels of the Independents are mean in their 
appearance, and circumscribed in their dimensions. 
Many of them are without stated pastors, and are 



DORCHESTER. 205 

supplied by pious laymen, who are employed 
during the week in their respective avocations, 
and who go out into the villages on the Sabbath, 
to exhort and to pray with these destitute con- 
gregations. 

This imperfect ministry certainly ought not to 
be despised, as without it many precious souls 
might perish for want of the bread of life ; but 
some such institution as our Education Society, 
is greatly needed among our brethren in England, 
to increase the number of well trained and faithful 
ministers of the independent denomination. It is 
a matter of astonishment that no society of this 
character has hitherto been formed. Can a better 
course be adopted to promote the cause of Christ, 
and the interests of Dissenters, than by establishing 
a society for the thorough education of indigent 
pious young men for the gospel ministry, like the 
American Education Society in the United States ? 
It is to be sincerely hoped that this subject will 
soon be taken into serious consideration by our 
dissenting brethren. 

On Sabbath morning I preached for Mr. An- 
derson, agreeably to his request. The congrega- 
tion was respectable for numbers, and apparently 
serious and attentive. I expressed to them the 
peculiar interest I felt as pastor of a church in 



206 DORCHESTER. 

Dorchester, New England, in addressing a con- 
gregation of my own denomination in Dorchester, 
Old England ; and I promised to give them in the 
evening some information respecting their name- 
sake town in the new world. 

In the afternoon, as there was no public worship 
in Mr. Anderson's Chapel, I attended divine 
service in the Episcopal church, in the neighboring 
parish of Fordington, and heard a truly evangel- 
ical sermon. 

Fordington is little more than half a mile from 
Dorchester, and though a separate parish and once 
a separate town, is now under the same municipal 
government. They are connected together by 
one of those long and beautiful avenues of chestnut 
and sycamore trees, by which the various en- 
trances to Dorchester are distinguished. 

In the evening I again addressed Mr. Anderson's 
congregation, and several from the other congre- 
gations, and gave them some account of the history 
of Dorchester in Massachusetts. The occasion 
was one of mutual interest, and I think will not 
soon be forgotten. 

Dorchester is an ancient, respectable and well 
built town. It was of considerable importance 
under the Romans. Coins and other relics of 
antiquity found here — the Maiden Castle — the 



DORCHESTER. 207 

Amphitheatre (the most perfect of the kind in 
Britain) — and the remains of a Roman Camp in the 
neighborhood — show it to have been a place of 
consideration. This town suffered dreadfully from 
the plague, which broke out there in 1595, and 
which proved so destructive that the living were 
not sufficient to bury the dead. In 1613 it was 
almost destroyed by fire — the loss was estimated 
at £200,000 sterling. Dorchester is said to have 
been more particularly disaffected to the royal 
cause during the civil wars, than any other place 
in England. The town forms an irregular square, 
and consists principally of three spacious streets. 
These with the subordinate ones, are well paved, 
and in general abound with handsome buildings of 
brick and stone. The edifices for public worship 
are the three churches in the establishment, dedi- 
cated to St. Peter, the Holy Trinity, and All 
Saints, and four chapels belonging to the Indepen- 
dents — the Wesleyan Methodists — the Baptists — 
and the Unitarians. The church of St. Peter's is 
a beautiful and venerable gothic pile, situated in 
the centre of the town, with a tower ninety feet 
high, ornamented with turrets and battlements. 
The principal charities are two good free schools, 
and some well endowed alms-houses ; and a 
hospital or workhouse, which is also an endowed 



208 SALISBURY. 

charity. The town contains a handsome town- 
hall— a court-house — and a new gaol and house 
of correction, erected on the plan recommended 
by Howard. By the census of 1821, the popula- 
tion of the borough and parishes of Dorchester 
amounted to 2,743. 

After seeing all that was worthy of notice in this 
ancient, neat and quiet town, we left it on Monday 
morning, for Salisbury, a distance of about forty 
miles, where we arrived before dinner, and im- 
mediately repaired to its splendid Cathedral, whose 
beautiful and well proportioned spire attracted 
our attention some time before we reached the 
city. 

This venerable edifice was built in the year 
1258, and contains as many windows as there are 
days — as many marble shafts as there are hours 
— and as many doors as there are months in the 
year. We noticed the beautiful stained glass in 
the large windows, and several ancient monu- 
ments of Knights Templar, with some fine modern 
sculpture. 

Salisbury, besides its Cathedral, presents few 
objects of interest to a stranger. In its neighbor- 
hood, however, is to be found one of the most 
remarkable curiosities in England. I refer to 
what is supposed to be the ruins of a Pruidical 



STONEHENGE. 209 

temple, at a place called Stonehenge, on Salisbury 
Plain, about nine miles distant from the city. We 
engaged an open carriage, drawn by mules, to 
take us to the place, and after an hour's ride over 
a long and dreary heath, interesting for nothing 
but for being the scene of Miss Hannah More's 
beautiful tale, entitled the Shepherd of Salisbury 
Plain, we arrived at the spot, upon which stood a 
number of large stones that had the appearance of 
having once formed a regular building or temple — 
some of them still remaining in their horizontal 
position, resting on those which retain their perpen- 
dicular attitude, while others are scattered about on 
the ground. We found in the midst of the ruins 
an intelligent individual, who makes a business of 
selling engravings of the temple and giving infor- 
mation respecting its origin and history. He sup- 
poses it to have been erected 200 years previous 
to the Christian era, and to have been intended for 
the w r orship of the sun. 

A high and blustering wind rendered our return 
over the open common exceedingly uncomfortable, 
and we were glad to find warmth and rest at the 
inn in Salisbury. 

On Tuesday morning we took the coach for 
London. We had for a companion a young cler- 
gyman of the established church, with whom I 



210 LONDON. 

had much conversation on the subject of the state 
of religion in America, and the operation of the 
Voluntary Principle. Although evangelical in 
his religious opinions, I found him strongly preju- 
diced against Dissenters and against America. He 
had read the narrative of Drs. Reed and Matheson, 
and commented upon it with great severity. He 
insisted that they were sent out to America by a 
political faction, to collect information to aid them 
in their efforts to destroy the British Constitution, 
by effecting a dissolution between the church and 
the state. This was not the only instance of pre- 
judice and bigotry which I met with in England. 
— We arrived, without any occurrence of special 
interest, before night at the Adelphi Hotel, and the 
next day found us comfortably settled again in our 
old lodgings in Norfolk street, Strand. 

The morning after our arrival, we were gratified 
in receiving letters from our friends in America, 
from which we learnt that they fully expected us 
home in August; and unwilling to disappoint the 
expectations of my people, who had already in- 
dulged me with a long absence from pastoral 
labors, I felt it my duty to hasten my return. We 
accordingly made our arrangements to leave Lon- 
don for the north, in the course of the ensuing 
week. 



LONDON. 211 

Among other friends, who called upon us at our 
lodgings, was the Rev. Robert Philip, of Maberly 
Chapel, the well known author of several interest- 
ing religious publications, which have been re- 
printed, and most extensively circulated in our own 
country. Mr. Philip is a respectable Dissenting 
minister, and has a most happy talent in conveying 
religious instruction in a plain and familiar manner. 
Long may he live to employ it for the benefit of 
the church, and the good of mankind. 

I was gratified at meeting in London with the 
Rev. Dr. Chalmers, the Rev. Dr. Peter McFarlin, 
and the Rev. Patrick Clason, who were applying 
to Parliament, in behalf of the General Assembly, 
for aid in extending the means of religious in- 
struction in the church of Scotland. This ap- 
plication has excited, as might naturally have been 
expected, much opposition from the friends of the 
voluntary principle, both in England and Scotland. 
It has resulted, I have been informed, in the ap- 
pointment of a Committee of Parliament to in- 
quire into the alleged destitution of the Scottish 
church. 

I had the pleasure of breakfasting with Dr. 
Chalmers, at the house of our mutual friend, Mr. 
Nisbet, in Berner's street. Much conversation 
ensued on the subject of the expediency of church 



213 LONDON. 

establishments, and the inefficacy of the voluntary 
principle. Although I could not agree with the 
Dr. and his friends in their views on this subject, 
I was gratified in hearing what could be said in 
favor of the dependence of the church upon civil 
aid, by the most powerful and eloquent champion 
of this side of the question now on the stage. 

The health of Dr. Chalmers is by no means 
good, and he has not attempted to preach for 
several months. It would not be surprising if the 
excitement, superinduced by the agitating contro- 
versy in which he has taken such a leading and 
active part, should have tended to impair his 
physical constitution. The course which he has 
adopted, although, I doubt not, from the very best 
and most conscientious motives, (for he is utterly 
incapable of any other,) while it has strengthened 
the hands of a party, who are far from appreciating 
his piety and evangelical zeal, has disappointed 
and grieved many of the friends of religious liberty, 
who love him for his attachment to the doctrines 
of grace, and admire the talent and eloquence with 
which he has so nobly defended them. 

I avoided making any public engagements for 
the last Sabbath I had to spend in London, that I 
might have the opportunity of hearing some of my 
brethren among the Dissenting ministers of the 



LONDON. 213 

metropolis. In the morning I went to hear the 
Rev. Dr. Joseph Fletcher, whom I had often met 
in private, and listened to with much pleasure on 
the platform during the season of anniversaries. 
It was his first sermon after a partial recovery from 
an indisposition which had confined him to the 
house for a few weeks, and though probably not 
delivered with his usual energy and animation, 
manifested a sweet and tender spirit, and was 
replete with rich and evangelical sentiment. It 
was a beautiful illustration of his text, appropriate 
to his own circumstances, and to several cases of 
affliction which had recently occurred in his own 
congregation. " For our light affliction, which is 
but for a moment, worketh out for us a far more 
exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While 
we look not at the things which are seen, but at 
the things which are unseen ; for the things which 
are seen are temporal, but the things which are 
unseen, are eternal." 

Dr. Fletcher's Chapel is in Stepney, in the 
easterly part of London. It is one of the most 
venerable places of worship remaining among the 
Dissenters. It was built for the celebrated non- 
conformist, Matthew Mead, the author of the 
Almost Christian, he, who himself laid the first 
stone of the building. The pillars, which support 



214 LONDON. 

the gallery, were given to Mr. Mead by the 
Stadtholder of Holland ; where he retreated after 
his ejectment. The same pulpit in which he 
preached still remains, and his body lies buried 
in the adjoining church-yard. The chapel is 
awkward in its construction, having been built to 
resemble, as much as possible, a private dwelling- 
house, in order to escape observation. It is how- 
ever frequented by a large and respectable con- 
gregation, and has a numerous and interesting 
Sabbath school connected with it. 

In the evening we accompanied our friends Mr. 
Sharp and his family to Peckham, to hear the 
Rev. Dr. Collyer. The feeble state of Dr. Coll- 
yer's health had prevented his mingling with the 
bustling duties of the anniversary week, and I had 
not seen him during my stay in London. I was 
unwilling to leave the country without seeing and 
hearing this distinguished and excellent man, with 
whom it was my happiness in early life to enjoy a 
personal acquaintance. His chapel, which is one 
of the neatest and best furnished of any dissenting 
place I had seen in London, was well filled, 
though not crowded. A good organ, accompanied 
by a choir of singers, reminded me of home, 
(these assistants to devotion being seldom found 
in Dissenting places of worship.) As he ascended 



LONDON. 215 

the pulpit, I could scarcely recognize the active 
individual I had known some thirty years ago. 
What a change had time and affliction effected ! 
But though the elasticity of his movement, and 
the light and graceful appearance of his figure, 
had given place to the slow and measured step of 
premature age and the increased corpulency of 
his person, I was soon convinced that he had lost 
none of the originality and force of his genius, nor 
of the unction and fervor of his piety. His sub- 
ject, which was peculiarly suited to the character 
of his mind, and the peculiarity of his taste, was 
that sweet aspiration of the Psalmist, contained in 
the forty-seventh Psalm, " Yet the Lord will 
command his loving kindness in the daytime, and 
in the night his song shall be with me, and my 
prayer unto the God of my life." After sermon 
he read an original hymn, as I am told is his usual 
practice, founded upon the words of the text. At 
the close of the service, I went into the vestry. 
Our meeting was affecting to us both. We had 
not met for nearly thirty years, and during that 
period, many changes had taken place. We re- 
membered the days of former years, and the 
pleasant intercourse we had taken together in the 
spring time of life. The joy of our meeting, 
however, was mingled with the tears of separa- 



216 LONDON. 

tion. We met but to part, till we should meet, I 
trust, never to part again. 

The few days we had to remain in London 
were employed in visiting and taking leave of 
many esteemed and beloved friends. On Wed- 
nesday evening, our parlor was filled with a large 
number of Christian friends, who called to bid us 
farewell, and the interview was closed with devo- 
tional exercises, in which our ever dear and 
honored friend, the Rev. Mr. Lewis of Islington, 
offered prayer, and commended us to the blessing 
and protection of Almighty God. 

" Those hours, those scenes are past ! 
We part, and ne'er again may meet ; 
Why are the joys that will not last 

So perishingly sweet ? 
Farewell ! we surely meet again, 
In life or death — farewell till then ! " 



CHAPTER VIII. 



YORK — DURHAM — EDINBURGH — HIGHLANDS — GLASGOW- 
LIVERPOOL. 



Early, on Thursday morning, July 2d, we bid 
adieu to London, and took our seats in the coach 
for York. After a long and tedious ride of 120 
miles, we stopped at 11, P. M. to rest, at a place 
called Newark, where we found very indifferent 
accommodations at a crowded inn, and the next 
day resumed our journey to York, where we 
arrived in the afternoon. Soon after our arrival, 
I sent a note to the Rev. James Parsons, the well 
known and highly talented minister of the congre- 
gation of independent Dissenters, who immediately 
called upon us, and kindly devoted himself to us 
during the little time we spent in this interesting 
city. 

York, the ancient Eboracum of the Romans, 
15 



218 YORK. 

was inhabited, successively, by Adrian, Severus, 
and other Roman Emperors. It is the see of an 
Archbishop, and ranks as the second city in the 
kingdom ; but it is inferior in wealth and popula- 
tion to many of the more modern trading towns. 
The principal object, for which it is distinguished, 
is its Minster, or Cathedral, which is justly es- 
teemed the most splendid edifice of the kind in 
Great Britain. We spent a couple of hours in 
visiting it, and regretted that the darkness of night 
compelled us to quit this magnificent structure. 
Our aged Cicerone seemed to take great delight 
in showing us the interior of the building, and in 
expatiating on the historical associations connected 
with it. A few years since this superb monument 
of ancient taste was set on fire by a maniac, who 
secreted himself in the church after evening 
prayers, with combustible matter for his nefarious 
and vandalic purpose. The fire was discovered 
early the next morning by the faithful servant of 
the church, who acted as our guide, in season to 
prevent its entire destruction, though the organ, 
the pews, and a considerable part of the ancient 
carving in oak, were entirely destroyed. At a 
great expense the damage has been repaired, but 
the modern part, beautiful as it is, bears no pro- 



DURHAM. 219 

portion to the rich specimens of ancient architec- 
ture, with which it is surrounded. 

We spent the evening, very pleasantly, with 
Mr. Parsons and his family ; and the next morn- 
ing left York in the coach for Durham, where we 
arrived, early in the afternoon of Saturday. 

Our excellent friend, Dr. Matheson, whom we 
had notified of our intended visit, met us at the 
inn, and with that warmth of heart and affectionate 
manner, for which he is so distinguished, wel- 
comed us to Durham, and conducted us to his 
hospitable mansion, where we immediately felt 
ourselves at home. We were prepared to be 
pleased and to be happy, for we had seen and 
known Dr. Matheson in our own dear country ; 
but our expectations of domestic comfort and 
felicity were more than gratified, for w r e had not 
before seen and known Mrs. Matheson — and to 
see and know her, was to esteem and love her. 

Mrs. Matheson is the only child of the Rev. 
Greville Ewing, of Glasgow, and inherits her 
father's intellectual qualities and amiable disposi- 
tion and manners. Her humble and unobtrusive 
piety — her quiet and diligent attention to house- 
hold and domestic duties — are not less remarkable 
than the superiority of her mind and the cultivation 
of her taste. Negligent of no duty, and entirely 



220 DURHAM. 

unambitious of literary distinction, she occasionally 
finds time, not only to promote plans of usefulness 
among the people of her husband's charge, but to 
subserve the general interests of religion and 
morality by the productions of her pen. With 
this amiable and excellent family, we remained 
several days, and the recollection of the happiness 
we enjoyed under their roof, will not easily be 
obliterated. 

The next day was the Sabbath. In the morn- 
ing I preached for Dr. Matheson, and in the after- 
noon, sat down with him and his beloved church 
at the sacramental table. Thirteen months before, 
he preached for my people, and partook with us 
of the memorials of a Saviour's love. Our hearts 
were melted in view of the goodness and mercy 
we had mutually experienced, and we enjoyed a 
sweet season of refreshing from the presence of 
the Lord. In the evening his people again col- 
lected, and I had an opportunity of urging upon 
them the necessity of an immediate attention to 
the great salvation. 

The independent chapel in Durham is small, 
but well attended. It will contain about five or 
six hundred hearers. It is situated back of a 
street, and in the rear of a dwelling-house. You 
might pass the gate which leads to it, and which 



DURHAM. 221 

exactly resembles a number of other gates in the 
same street, without thinking of a place of worship. 
Indeed, it appears to be, like many other Dis- 
senting places of worship, studiously concealed 
from observation. The contrast between the 
splendid pile of Episcopal magnificence, which 
every where meets the eye in the city and suburbs 
of Durham, and the humble and unpretending 
sanctuary of the descendants of the Puritans, is 
singularly striking, and affords not an unapt illus- 
tration of the religious denominations which they 
respectively represent. 

Episcopacy in England is like the grand and 
spacious Cathedral, magnificent, showy and im- 
posing. It embraces within its pale nearly all the 
noble and fashionable, and by far the greater pro- 
portion of the wealthy of the land. It meets you 
wherever you go, and pervades all ranks and 
classes of society — whereas the Dissenting interest, 
like its obscure and retired places of worship, is 
thrown into the background, and regarded by its 
more opulent neighbor with neglect, if not with 
contempt. I was painfully impressed with this 
marked and decided difference between the 
Churchman and the Dissenter, and felt more than 
ever attached to the religious institutions of my 
own country, where no one sect is established by 
law. 



222 DURHAM. 

Dr. Matheson is much beloved by an affectionate 
people, and highly respected by those of a different 
communion. He exerts a good and salutary in- 
fluence among the neighboring churches of his 
own denomination. His talents, his business 
habits, and his extensive information, qualify him, 
however, for a more important and more extensive 
sphere of usefulness. I know not the man better 
adapted to fill a situation, exceedingly wanted 
among the independent Dissenters, that of a 
General Agent for the Congregational Union. 

On Monday, we visited the Cathedral, and 
called upon one of the Prebendaries, the Rev. 
Thomas Gisborne, an author well known in this 
country as well as in England. Mr. Gisborne is 
now advanced in life; he received us politely, and 
gave us access to the library, which contains, 
besides a good collection of books, a number of 
valuable manuscripts, and several interesting an- 
tiquities. 

The situation of Durham is romantic and beauti- 
ful, and the view of the cathedral and castle, and 
the winding of the river Wey, from Dr. Mathe- 
son's windows, indescribably lovely. 

We left our kind and excellent friends with un- 
feigned regret on Wednesday morning, in a post- 
chaise for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, where we took 



EDINBURGH. 223 

the coach for Edinburgh, by the interesting and 
classical route of Cheviot and Tweedale. The 
ride over the Cheviot hills would have been de- 
lightful, had the wind been less cold and boisterous. 
We passed by many objects of interest — among 
them Melrose Abbey, and Abbotsford, the resi- 
dence of the late Sir Walter Scott, and Drye- 
burgh Abbey, where his ashes repose; and arrived 
in Edinburgh in the evening, suffering with the 
cold, though in the beginning of July, and ex- 
hausted with fatigue. 

I was again, through the kind providence of 
God, in the Scottish Capital, endeared to me by 
so many youthful and delightful associations. My 
mind naturally reverted to the days of " Auld 
Lang Syne," to the period, (1805 and 6,) when 
Professor Silliman, the late Dr. Gorham, and 
myself, occupied the same apartments, and pur- 
sued together our professional studies. Many of 
the friends of my youth were no more. Of the 
ministers of Edinburgh, with whom it was my 
privilege to be acquainted, but one or two re- 
mained. The professors, under whose direction I 
pursued my theological studies, were all gone. 
The places that once knew them, knew them no 
more. But some of my best and dearest friends 
remained, whom I sought out on the morning after 



224 EDINBURGH. 

our arrival, and rejoiced to find in the enjoyment 
of health and happiness. 

The Rev. Dr. David Dickson, of the West 
Kirk, was one of my earliest, and has been one of 
my most sincere and faithful friends. With the 
affection of a brother he received me into his 
family when a student in Divinity ; and from that 
day to this, his friendship has been cordial and 
uninterrupted. I need not say, that from the mo- 
ment of our interview, till we parted, in all proba- 
bility never to meet again in this world, his 
attention to myself and family was most devoted, 
affectionate and untiring. 

From the West Kirk manse, I proceeded to call 
upon my valued friend, John Tawse, Esq., the 
brother-in-law of Dr. Dickson, and the highly 
esteemed secretary of the Society for Propagating 
Christian Knowledge. As secretary of the Boston 
Board, I had long been in correspondence with 
Mr. Tawse, and was happy in the opportunity, 
not only of enjoying once more his personal ac- 
quaintance, and that of his excellent family, but 
of transacting business relating to the concerns of 
the Society in America. From every branch of 
Dr. Dickson's family, we received the kindest 
attentions during our short stay in Edinburgh. 

The Rev. Dr. Patterson, formerly the agent of 



EDINBURGH. 225 

the British and Foreign Bible Society in Russia, 
and the Rev. Mr. Wilkes, the pastor of the inde- 
pendent Congregation in Albany Chapel, whom I 
had met in London, showed us much attention. 

We were also gratified in meeting with our ex- 
cellent friend, John Dunlop, Esq., whom we had 
known in America, and who has recently returned 
to his native country. Mr. Dunlop is a warm 
hearted and devoted Christian, and is constantly 
doing good in aiding the religious and benevolent 
institutions both of his own country, and of the 
United States. 

On the Sabbath I heard Dr. Dickson preach in 
the morning, and preached for him in the after- 
noon, in the West Kirk. The pulpits of the 
establishment have long been closed upon all but 
the ministers and licentiates of the church of 
Scotland. The invitation to preach for Dr. Dick- 
son was peculiarly gratifying to my feelings, as a 
strong- mark of personal regard from my old and 
valued friend. 

In the evening I preached for Mr. Wilkes, in 
Albany Chapel. It is deeply to be regretted that 
there is so little union and harmony between the 
members of the Established Church and the 
various Dissenters, both Presbyterian and Inde- 
pendent, in this city, and indeed throughout Scot- 



226 EDINBURGH. 

land. The controversy respecting the lawfulness 
and expediency of a national establishment, has 
been carried on with more warmth, and with 
a greater degree of asperity, in Scotland, than in 
her sister kingdom. Sermons, and other pam- 
phlets, without number, have been printed and 
circulated, on both sides of the question. Social 
and domestic intercourse has been greatly embit- 
tered by this unhappy controversy. In the situa- 
tion in which I was placed, I could not avoid 
seeing and hearing much on this agitating subject. 
My personal friends were, almost exclusively, 
connected with the Establishment, while my offi- 
cial character, as pastor of a Congregational 
church, and a delegate to the Congregational 
Union, necessarily led me to associate with the 
strenuous advocates of the Voluntary Principle. 
I found, among both parties, excellent and devoted 
men, and I deeply regretted that a difference of 
opinion should have such an unhappy influence in 
estranging them from each other, and in creating 
and fostering feelings of coldness and jealousy. 

On Monday morning I breakfasted with the 
Rev. Dr. Welsh, the professor of ecclesiastical 
history in the University of Edinburgh. Dr. 
Welsh is a man of superior talent and of extensive 
information. He expressed a great inclination to 



EDINBURGH. 227 

visit the United States, and to judge from personal 
observation of the influence of our religious in- 
stitutions. It is very desirable that such men 
should visit our country. Their report would 
have a powerful influence upon the public mind in 
Scotland, in correcting many of the errors that 
prevaibrespecting the state of religion in America. 
— After breakfast, 1 called upon the Rev. Dr. 
Peddie, the venerable pastor of the Burgher con- 
gregation, and upon the Rev. Dr. Gordon and the 
Rev. Mr. Hunter of the established church. I 
was happy in the opportunity of seeing and con- 
versing with these excellent men. — I dined with 
the Rev. Mr. Paul, Dr. Dickson's colleague, and 
at his table met with several of my early friends, 
whom I had not seen for many years. 

It was with great regret that we felt constrained 
to leave Edinburgh on Tuesday morning. Our 
excellent friend, Dr. Dickson, insisted upon ac- 
companying us in the steam-boat as far as Stirling, 
a distance of about forty miles. On our way I 
had the pleasure of meeting an old friend and 
classmate at the Divinity Hall, the Rev. Peter 
Brotherston, of Alloa. The sail on the Forth to 
Stirling, is very picturesque ; and Dr. Dickson, 
who was intimately acquainted with every part of 
the way, pointed out the various objects of interest 



228 CALLENDER. 

as we passed along. We arrived at Stirling 
before night, and after having taken a view from 
the castle, which affords one of the finest land- 
scapes in Scotland, we parted with our kind guide, 
and never to be forgotten friend, who took a most 
affectionate leave of us, as we entered the post- 
chaise to convey us to Callender, a distance of 
about sixteen miles from Stirling. 

On our arrival at Callender, though late in the 
evening, I despatched a note to the Rev. Peter 
Robertson, the worthy minister of the place, who 
immediately called upon us at the inn. Mr. Rob- 
ertson was also a fellow student at the Divinity 
Hall. We had not met for nearly thirty years. 
I regretted that our arrangements were such that 
I could not accept the proffered hospitality of my 
old friend, and spend a few days with him at the 
manse in Callender. 

We had now entered the Highlands of Scotland, 
and early the next morning we left Callender for 
the Trosachs and Loch Katrine, scenes rendered 
classic by the author of the Lady of the Lake. 
Unhappily for us, the weather, which had been 
unpleasant from the time of our leaving Edinburgh, 
now became decidedly stormy, and we were glad 
to find a comfortable shelter in Mrs. Stewart's ex- 
cellent inn, at the entrance of those rough and 



GREENOCK. 229 

romantic passes of nature, called the Trosachs. 
Here we spent the day ; and the next day, 
although the sky was still overcast, pursued our 
route, crossing the beautiful Lake in an open boat, 
a distance of eight or ten miles, to the opposite 
side, where, notwithstanding the rain which began 
to fall, we were conveyed on ponies about five 
miles, to Loch Lomond, to meet the steam-boat. 

In the steam-boat we proceeded down the Lake 
to a place called Tarbet, and there took a post- 
chaise to convey us to Inverary. The ride was 
exceedingly romantic, though the weather still 
continued unsettled. In the evening we arrived 
at the Capital of the Western Highlands, and 
before we retired to rest, visited the Castle of the 
duke of Argyl-e, and strolled in the beautiful 
grounds. 

The next morning we Jeft Inverary for Gree- 
nock, partly by coach, and partly by steam-boat, 
where we arrived in the afternoon, not a little 
fatigued by our journey, and not a little disap- 
pointed in passing through this most interesting 
country with scarcely a glimpse of the sun. We 
saw, however, much to delight us ; and the grand 
and sublime mountain scenery, viewed through 
the dense mists of the atmosphere, was more im- 
pressive than had the clouds been dispersed by 
the rays of the sun. 



230 GLASGOW. 

We remained at Greenock until the next day, 
when we left it in the steam-boat for Dunbarton 
and Glasgow. The sail on the Clyde is exceed- 
ingly beautiful. We stopped a few hours at 
Dunbarton, to view its celebrated castle, built on 
the top of a rock, and then proceeded to Glasgow 
and took lodgings at the new Royal Hotel. 

The next morning was the Sabbath, and we 
went to hear Dr. Ward] aw, whose Chapel was 
just in the rear of our hotel. We were happy in 
finding him at home. His discourse, which was 
one of a series of lectures on the prophecy of 
Jeremiah, was highly instructive. His manner, 
though not animated, was grave and impressive, 
and no one could hear him, without feeling that 
he was listening to the effusions of a mind of no 
ordinary strength and character. The short inter- 
view I 'had with this excellent man in the vestry, 
left a favorable impression, not merely of the 
strength of his intellect, but of the warmth of his 
heart. 

In the afternoon, we went to Mr. Ewing's 
Chapel, with the hope of hearing him. But I 
was disappointed. Meeting with him a few mo- 
ments before the service began, I was constrained 
to yield to his importunity to occupy the pulpit. 
I enjoyed, however, the privilege of hearing him 



GLASGOW. 231 

deliver an interesting address at the communion, 
which is administered in his church every Lord's 
day in the afternoon. 

The practice of such frequent communion 
among the Scotch independents, illustrates the 
tendency of mankind to vibrate to contrary ex- 
tremes. In the national church the sacrament of 
the Lord's Supper is administered in most of the 
churches only twice, and in some of them, only 
once a year. It would seem, as if the indepen- 
dents in Scotland were determined to be removed, 
as far as possible, from their Presbyterian breth- 
ren, and instead of administering the ordinance 
once a year, to administer it once a week. This 
very frequent administration, one would think, 
would tend to lessen its solemnity. The monthly 
celebration avoids both extremes, and seems, upon 
the whole, best adapted to promote the designs 
of the institution. 

Mr. Ewing was once a minister of the es- 
tablished church in Lady Glenorchy's Chapel, 
in Edinburgh, but seceded from it about forty 
years ago, when, in connection with the Rev. 
Mr. Innes and the two Mr. Haldanes, he in- 
troduced the independent form of church gov- 
ernment into Scotland. As a scholar, Mr. 
Ewing ranks deservedly among the first of his 



232 GLASGOW. 

denomination — while the amenity of his manners, 
and the fervor of his piety, endear him not only 
to his congregation, but to an extensive circle of 
friends. 

In the evening I attended the lecture preached 
in the Tron church by the ministers of the estab- 
lished church in rotation, and heard the Rev. Dr. 
Smyth preach an excellent sermon. It seems 
that the General Assembly had appointed a fast, 
which was to take place in the course of the week, 
the appointment of which at the present crisis had 
excited much animadversion from that part of the 
community opposed to a national establishment, 
and in favor of the Voluntary Principle. In 
giving notice of the approaching solemnity, Dr. 
Smyth took occasion to justify the measure, and 
to notice what he conceived the unreasonable 
( opposition it had excited. 

On Monday we visited the University, and the 
Abbey church, and in the afternoon took the coach 
to Lanark, where we arrived in season to see the 
beautiful and romantic Falls of the Clyde, about 
two miles distant from that manufacturing town. 
After gratifying our love of natural scenery, we 
proceeded in a post-chaise to Douglass inn, on 
the great road from Glasgow to Carlisle, where 
we spent the night; and the next day took the 
coach for Carlisle. 



PENRITH. 233 

The road is dull and uninteresting. On our 
arrival at Carlisle, we found a coach going imme- 
diately to Penrith, in the neighborhood of the 
Lakes of Cumberland and Westmoreland, which 
we intended to visit. We met with a comfortable 
inn at Penrith, and having engaged a convenient 
sociable, (or open carriage,) proceeded the next 
morning on our tour to the Lakes. 

The weather, which for a week past had been 
stormy and uncomfortable, now became warm and 
delightful, and continued so through the remainder 
of our tour. Nothing could surpass the enjoyment 
of this day's excursion. We first visited Brougham 
Hall, the seat of the celebrated Lord Brougham. 
It is a plain, stone building, but the grounds are 
beautiful, and laid out with much taste. From 
Brougham Hall we proceeded to Lowther Castle, 
the splendid and beautiful seat of the Earl of 
Lonsdale. We rode for some time in the ex- 
tensive and delightful grounds pertaining to the 
castle, before we arrived at the building itself, 
which presents a most imposing appearance, as it 
gradually discovers itself through the thick foliage 
by which it is surrounded. The castle, situated 
on the river which bears its name, is built of pale 
free stone, and has a front four hundred and twenty 
feet long, and is said to contain as many as eighty 
16 



234 PENRITH. 

lofty turrets. The rooms in the castle were pre- 
paring for the reception of the family, (then in 
London,) who visit it in July, and remain till Oc- 
tober. 

The housekeeper, who conducted us over the 
castle, was exceedingly civil and obliging. We 
were first led into a hall which contained the 
portraits of George the Third, Queen Anne, and 
Queen Mary wife of William the Third; together 
with marble busts of the late Duke of York, the 
Duke of Wellington, Lord Chatham, Lord Liv- 
erpool, Mr. Pitt, and Mr. Percival. Mr. Pitt was 
a college companion and intimate friend of the 
present Earl, and his portrait, statue or bust may 
be found in almost every apartment of the castle. 
The rooms are fitted up in a style of great mag- 
nificence, united with an air of comfort seldom to 
be found in palaces. We were conducted through 
a small ante-room into the library, a most splendid, 
and at the same time, a most comfortable looking 
apartment. The family, while at the castle, 
breakfast there, and sit there the greater part of 
the morning. The furniture of the library is 
made of the most beautifully polished British oak, 
the growth of the estate. Around the walls hang 
the family portraits, as far down as the last Earl. 
The portrait of the present Earl hangs in another 



PENRITH. 235 

apartment. The library contains about ten thou- 
sand volumes. Among them I was gratified to 
notice a copy of Bishop Dehon's Sermons, beau- 
tifully bound. From the library we passed into 
the drawing-room, and other apartments of this 
princely palace. 

Nothing that we had seen in any part of 
Europe exceeded the magnificence of this noble 
residence. Every variety of the most admired 
and costly Italian marble, and original paintings 
of the first masters — Vandyck, Guido, Titian, 
Leonard de Vinci, Sassoferrato, Gaspar Poussin, 
Claude Lorrain, Teniers and Wouvermans — 
graced the rooms through which we severally 
passed. We noticed also a beautiful bust of 
Wordsworth, the poet of the Lakes. From the 
Castle we strolled into the Countess's flower 
garden, which was exquisitely beautiful. 

Those who may visit this part of Great Britain, 
and who may wish to see one of the best speci- 
mens of the residence of an English nobleman, 
should by no means neglect to visit Lowther 
Castle. 

From Lowther Castle we went to Ullswater, 
and stopped at the head of the lake for refresh- 
ment. After remaining there for a short time, we 
concluded to go round by the way of Keswick, 



236 KESWICK. 

that we might see the beautiful lake of Derwent 
Water. The road was romantic and mountainous, 
winding its way around the mountain called Sad- 
dleback. Within s|x miles of Keswick one of the 
wheels of our vehicle gave way, and we were 
obliged to turn pedestrians for the remainder of 
the journey. 

The inn at Keswick we found noisy and uncom- 
fortable. We strolled out in the evening to admire 
the beautiful scenery of the lake, and engaged a 
boatman to take us on its surface, early the next 
morning. We rose betimes. The sky was with- 
out a cloud, and scarcely a breath of wind dis- 
turbed the peaceful bosom of the lake. Our 
boatman, who was intelligent and communicative, 
described the different islands and the various 
little neat and pretty cottages that skirted the sur- 
rounding shore. We landed on one or two of 
these little islands. One, called the Hermitage, 
was peculiarly beautiful. Near the ruins of an 
old Hermitage is a little building erected by Sir 
William Gordon, for the accommodation of tourists 
who may wish to dine upon the island. It 
is a small cottage with a thatched roof and lat- 
ticed windows, and contains a setting-room, a 
dining-room and a kitchen. Another little island, 
belonging to General Peechey, who was there with 



AMBLESIDE. 237 

his family, is richly cultivated, and the garden and 
shrubbery, surrounding a neat and convenient 
mansion, arranged with much taste. We spent 
several hours on this exquisitely beautiful lake, 
and returned to our inn with a keen appetite, to a 
late breakfast. 

The town of Keswick is remarkable for nothing 
but its beautiful lake, and for being the residence 
of Robert Southey, Esq., the poet laureate, whose 
mansion, embosomed in trees, was pointed out to 
us from the lake. 

We left Keswick, soon after breakfast, for Am- 
bleside, which is situated near the borders of the 
lake of Windermere. The ride was indescribably 
beautiful. On leaving the town we ascended a 
hill, commanding a view of the vale of Keswick, 
with the lakes of Derwent Water and Basinthwaite 
winding among the hills. On our road we passed 
by the sweet little lake of Thirlemere, and had a 
most enchanting view of the lake and valley of 
Grassmere. Before arriving at Ambleside we 
passed on the road the celebrated poet, Words- 
worth, riding towards Keswick. — His residence 
was afterwards pointed out to us. 

At Ambleside we procured a post-chaise to 
convey us to Bowness, a little rural village on the 
banks of Windermere, where we found a most 



238 LIVERPOOL. 

excellent inn, and remained several hours. In the 
church-yard we noticed a very plain monument to 
the memory of Richard Watson, Bishop of Llan- 
daff, who lived on the borders of the lake, and 
died in 1816. 

Towards evening we left this beautiful spot in a 
post-chaise for Kendal, on the great northern road, 
where we spent the night. The next morning we 
took our departure, and passing through Lancaster 
and Preston, arrived at Liverpool in the afternoon 
of the 24th of July, and took lodgings at the 
Adelphi Hotel. 

T called on an American friend now resident in 
Liverpool, with whom I made a passage to that 
place many years ago, — and was happy to renew 
the acquaintance of our youth. I called also on 
Mr. James, of the house of Phelps and James of 
New York, whom I had met in Bristol and who 
kindly offered to show me every attention in his 
power on my arrival in Liverpool. This promise 
he most faithfully redeemed. To him and Mrs. 
James, my family and myself were under many 
obligations, and we shall never cease to remember 
them with gratitude and esteem. Mr. James is 
from New York, and though he has not been long 
in Liverpool, is one of the officers of Dr. Raffles's 
church. 



LIVERPOOL. 239 

The next day I called on my esteemed friends 
Messrs. Job and Bulley, who were exceedingly 
kind and attentive to us during our short stay in 
Liverpool. I was much gratified in meeting once 
more with my valued friend Dr. Raffles. Dr. 
R. has been long known to the world, as a highly 
gifted man, an interesting writer and a very 
popular preacher. He is not less distinguished 
for the amiable qualities of his heart, and ior his 
conversational powers. 

The next day was the Sabbath, and I had the 
satisfaction of hearing Dr. Raffles in his own 
Chapel in the morning. In the afternoon I at- 
tended Mr. Kelley's Chapel, and heard Mr. 
Carruthers, one of the Dissenting ministers of 
Liverpool, preach a truly evangelical and excel- 
lent sermon. He is the son of Mr. Carruthers, 
who is now employed as a missionary in the 
State of Maine, and whom I have long known to 
be a most devoted and useful man. In the even- 
ing I preached my last sermon in England in Dr. 
Raffles's Chapel, to a large and respectable con- 
gregation. 

The next morning we breakfasted with a num- 
ber of friends at Dr. Raffles's hospitable mansion. 
Dr. Raffles is surrounded, not only by the comforts, 
but by many of the elegancies of life, and his 



240 LIVERPOOL. 

dwelling and beautiful grounds, while they evince 
the taste of the proprietor, afford him the oppor- 
tunity of imparting a liberal hospitality to his 
numerous friends and acquaintance. 

We dined with Mr. Thomas Bulley in company 
with Dr. Raffles and a few friends, and in the 
evening I attended a meeting of the Jews' So- 
ciety, where I had the opportunity of seeing and 
hearing that eccentric and remarkable man, the 
Rev. Joseph Wolff, missionary to the Jews. He 
gave a very minute and amusing account of his 
adventures in the East to a very crowded auditory. 
Several other speeches were made on the occa- 
sion, and the meeting broke up at a late hour. 



CHAPTER IX. 



EXCURSION TO WALES RETURN TO LIVERPOOL DEPAR- 
TURE FROM LIVERPOOL ARRIVAL AT NEW YORK. 



On Tuesday morning we left Liverpool, on a 
short excursion into Wales, previous to our de- 
parture for America. We embarked in the 
steam-boat for Bangor and Menai Bridge, and, 
after an uncomfortable passage, arrived at the 
latter place about six P. M. 

Menai Bridge is one of the most remarkable 
structures of the kind in Europe, and is visited by- 
thousands of travellers. After spending a short 
time in examining this wonderful specimen of art, 
we returned to Bangor, and engaged a conveyance 
to take us as far as Capel Curig, a distance of 
about twelve miles, where we arrived late at night, 
not a little exhausted with fatigue. 

On waking in the morning, refreshed with 



242 BEDDGELART. 

sleep, we found ourselves surrounded with the 
most delightful and romantic scenery imaginable. 
We were in the heart of North Wales, and every- 
thing around us tended to impress us with the 
sublime and beautiful. The old Welsh harper, in 
the hall of the Inn, delighted us with the airs of 
his native hills. The inn, itself, was remarkable 
for its romantic and cottage like appearance, and 
was exceedingly neat and comfortable. There 
was but one circumstance to damp our enjoyment, 
and that was the disappointment we felt in not 
meeting with our beloved friends, Mr. and Mrs. 
Duthoit of London, whom we had hoped to see 
once more before we left the country. They had 
been on a short visit to Wales, but had departed 
from Capel Curig for London, a few days previ- 
ous to our arrival. 

We could have lingered in this enchanting spot 
for days and weeks, but our time was limited, as 
we had engaged our passage in the packet of the 
1st of August, which was to sail on Saturday. 
We left Capel Curig before breakfast, in a sociable 
for Beddgelart. The morning was lovely and 
the ride delightful. The lofty Snowden, the 
highest mountain in Wales, was the most com- 
manding object in the prospect. 

Beddgelart, (or Gelart's grave,) derives its name 



BEDDGELART. 243 

from a very affecting incident in the history of 
Prince Llewellyn, one of the former sovereigns of 
this interesting country. Returning from one of 
his expeditions to his castle in this place, he was 
met by his favorite dog, Gelart, running up to him, 
besmeared with blood. He immediately followed 
him to the house ; and on entering his chamber, 
he perceived the cradle, in which his infant child 
usually slept, overturned, and the child missing. 
Believing that the dog had destroyed the child, he 
slew him on the spot. On lifting up the cradle a 
few moments after, he found the child beneath it 
alive and unhurt, and a wolf lying by its side 
whom the faithful dog had killed to preserve the 
life of the infant. Overwhelmed with grief, he 
had his dog interred with great ceremony ; and 
the place in which this incident occurred, acquired 
the name of Beddgelart — or Gelart's grave. The 
grave is still pretended to be shown to strangers, 
though it is very doubtful whether the exact spot 
can be pointed out. 

From Beddgelart, we proceeded through the 
beautiful vale of Festiniog to Tannybulch, where 
we dined, and from thence to Dolgettly, a shire 
town. On our arrival in the afternoon, we found 
it impossible to obtain post-horses on account of 
the assizes, which were then in session. The 



244 DOLGETTLY. 

place was so crowded that it was difficult to pro- 
cure lodgings at an inn, and we were under the 
necessity of obtaining them in a private family. 
As we had time to spare, we inquired whether 
there was any place of worship open in the evening, 
and were directed to a small Welsh chapel of 
Calvinistic Methodists, where we had an oppor- 
tunity of hearing two sermons, successively, in the 
Welsh language. The preachers, perceiving that 
there were strangers present, named their texts in 
English as well as Welsh. They appeared to be 
engaged in their subject, though their utterance 
was exceedingly disagreeable, and their manner 
very uncouth. 

We left Dolgettly, early the next morning in 
the coach for Bala. — From Bala, we took a post- 
chaise to Curwen, and from thence another to 
Llangollen, whose vale, watered by the river Dee, 
is said to be the most beautiful in Wales. Here 
we stopped to visit the cottage and grounds of the 
late Lady Eleanor Butler, and the Hon. Miss 
Ponsonby, who lived here, for , about fifty years, 
retired from the busy and fashionable world. 
They are now both gone ; and a neat monument 
covers their remains. — Lady Butler died in 1829, 
aged ninety years, and Miss Ponsonby two or 
three years after, aged seventy-seven. Their 



WREXHAM. 245 

memory is still held in the most respectful and 
grateful remembrance by the neighboring cot- 
tagers, with some of whom we conversed. The 
cottage is now occupied by two single ladies, Miss 
Lawton and Miss Andrews, who are attempting to 
follow the example of their predecessors. Through 
their politeness we were permitted to view the 
grounds, which are very tastefully arranged. 

We left with reluctance, this beautiful spot for 
Wrexham, a county town, where we were com- 
pelled to spend the night, as we found we could 
not see Eaton Hall, the seat of Lord Grosvenor, a 
distance of twelve miles, till ten the next day. We 
visited the fine old church in Wrexham, and no- 
ticed in the church-yard, the tomb of Elihu Yale, 
Esq., (who gave the name to Yale college in 
Connecticut,) on which is inscribed the following 
quaint epitaph. 

" Born in America, in Europe bred, 
In Afric travelled, and in Asia wed, 
Where long he lived and thrived ; in London dead. 
Much good, some ill he did ; so hope all's even, 
And that his soul, through mercy's, gone to Heaven." 

Immediately after breakfast the next morning, 
we took a post-chaise for Eaton Hall, on our way 
to Liverpool. This is said to be one of the finest 



246 CHESTER. 

establishments to be found among the English 
nobility, and it well deserves the attention of 
strangers. The house is modern, but built in 
good taste and richly furnished. It contains some 
valuable paintings by Guercino, and by West; but 
in respect to statuary and painting, is greatly in- 
ferior to Lowther Castle. The grounds, the 
gardens, and the hot house, are kept in good order, 
and the extensive park, through which you ap- 
proach the house, is one of the finest we have 
seen. 

After satisfying our curiosity, we proceeded to 
the ancient city of Chester, where we remained 
only long enough to visit the pulpit in which 
Matthew Henry preached, and the spot where his 
ashes repose. 

From Chester we hastened to the ferry, about 
eight miles distant, and there took the steam-boat 
for Liverpool, where we arrived on Friday after- 
noon, and, at the urgent request of Mr. James, 
went directly to his house. In the evening I took 
tea with my old friends, Capt. Pratt and his 
family, in company with our mutual friend, Miss 
Eaton. 

The next day was spent in busy preparations 
for our intended voyage; and at 3, P. M., on 



ARRIVAL AT NEW YORK. 247 

the first of August, we embarked in the good 
ship Columbus, Capt. Cobb, for New York. 

An excellent ship — a polite and attentive cap- 
tain, and a number of respectable and very- 
pleasant passengers, contributed to make the time 
pass very agreeably. A disposition to please and 
be pleased seemed to pervade the company. 

The day after we embarked was the Sabbath, 
and the passengers, with several of the officers 
and crew, assembled, with one accord, in the 
cabin, where we united in public worship, and 
commended ourselves to the guardian care of Him 
whom the winds and waves obey. This practice 
was maintained, whenever the weather would per- 
mit, with great unanimity, and with apparent 
seriousness. 

We arrived at New York on Sunday afternoon, 
the 6th of September, and were received with the 
greatest cordiality, by our relatives and friends in 
that city. After spending a little time with them, 
and visiting some friends on the way, we reached 
Boston on Thursday evening, and the next day 
we were once more settled in our own comfortable 
dwelling at Dorchester. 

That part of our domestic circle which we left 
behind us, we found in the enjoyment of perfect 
health ; and on Sabbath morning, our whole family, 



248 ARRIVAL HOME. 

which had been for some time past separated from 
each other in different parts of the world, went to- 
gether to the house of God to pay our vows unto 
the Most High ; and never had a family greater 
occasion to enter his courts with thanksgiving, and 
his gates with praise. 

It will be in vain to attempt to describe our 
feelings in receiving the cordial congratulations of 
a united and beloved congregation. 

" If our welcome be so joyous, 

While earth's storms around us roar, — 
What will be the bliss of heaven, 
When we meet to part no more ? " 



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